Jimmie Lou Fisher

Jimmie Lou Fisher (née Cooper; December 31, 1941 – July 11, 2022) was an American politician from Arkansas. A Democrat, she was the longest serving State Treasurer in Arkansas history.

Early life and career Jimmie Lou Cooper was born in Delight, Arkansas on December 31, 1941, the eldest of the five children of Joyce Nutt Cooper and Tollie H. Cooper.

Other Democratic activism Fisher is noted as one of the major women in Arkansas politics, and one of the better known, and high-powered Arkansas Democratic activists. Positions she has held include:

Vice Chairman of Democratic State Committee, 1976–78, November 1991 – September 1993 Member of Democratic National Committee, 1976–78, and November 1991 – September 1993 Past President of the Arkansas Democratic Women's Club Delegate to the Democratic National Convention, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000

2002 gubernatorial race

In 2002 the Arkansas Democratic Party asked Fisher to be its candidate against Mike Huckabee, because they felt that she was the strongest candidate possible. They did not want to allow the highly popular Huckabee to blow past the opposition to another term as he had done in 1998, when he easily defeated the Democratic candidate in what was an embarrassingly large defeat for the Democratic Party. Determined not to let that happen again, the Democratic Party came to Fisher. Fisher was not able to run for another term for state treasurer because of the 1994 term-limits law that voters had passed. Because of this, Fisher reluctantly agreed to take on Huckabee. Despite her reluctance to enter the race originally, Fisher ran an incredibly strong and active campaign. She raised over $1 million, and campaigned hard across the state.

She hit Huckabee hard on Education with her REACH proposal. This came at a time when Huckabee was very vulnerable on that issue due to public frustration about poor education funding for rural schools. Other highlights of her campaign included: ethics accountability, prescription drug relief for seniors, Economic Growth and raising the minimum wage, crime, (during a time when Huckabee was being slammed due to questionable pardons, including one that left two women dead in Missouri), and fiscal responsibility.

Polling showed the race slowly narrowing, but Fisher was unable to cut into Huckabee's lead enough to win. Huckabee was also helped by the positive political wave for Republicans that swept through nation that year, though it did little to save incumbent U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson, from his loss, by a 54 percent to 46 percent margin, to then Attorney General Mark Pryor. In the end, Huckabee won 53 percent to 47 percent.

2006 Democratic Attorney General primary In 2006 Fisher signed on as Campaign Chairwoman for State Representative Dustin McDaniel of Jonesboro, who recently won an incredibly close race against North Little Rock City Attorney Paul Suskie for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General. This was thought by many political experts to be the biggest boost to McDaniel's campaign, even bigger than the endorsements of dozens of former presidents of the Arkansas State Bar Association, signifying Fisher's prominence among Democrats in the state.

Health and death On April 12, 2006, Fisher was hospitalized in Little Rock for an apparent transient ischemic attack, or "mini-stroke". Doctors kept her in the hospital for almost a month and a half to keep her under observation, and perform tests. She was later released after she cleared all the tests, and they noted no further symptoms or complications.

Fisher died at a hospital in Paragould, Arkansas on July 11, 2022, at the age of 80.

Awards Throughout her long career, Fisher has won many distinguished awards and honors, including:

Arkansas Democratic Party "Gressie Carnes Award" 1979 Worthen Bank Professional Women's Advisory Board "Arkansas Professional Women of Distinction Award" 1989 George C. Douthit "Freedom of Information Award" 1989 National Association of State Treasurers "Jesse Unruh Award" 1991 National Association of Democratic Women "Outstanding Elected Democratic Women Holding Public Office Award" 1992 Arkansas Federation of Democratic Women "Nancy J. Hall Award" 1995 Arkansas Easter Seal "Arkansan of the Year" 1997 "Top 100 Women in Arkansas" 1997, 1998, 1999 UALR "Women of Arkansas – Agent of Change Award", 2000 Association of Government Accountants "Financial Manager of the Year" 2000

Election history 2002 General Election Candidate Votes % Mike Huckabee (R)427,08253.01 Jimmie Lou Fisher (D)378,25046.95Mike Huckabee (R) re-elected to 2nd term