Why you should support David Bequette
Born and raised in Columbia, Illinois, I am the eldest of 3 boys, and a product of a blue-collar, hardworking American family. I graduated from Columbia High School and attended Missouri Baptist College on an athletic and academic scholarship. One year later, I set off to join the U.S. Marine Corps, where I spent five years serving our country and defending U.S. interests in Indonesia, China, and Malta. Over the past 15 years, I completed my degree at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville, worked as a government contractor, built 3 businesses, lectured undergraduate and graduate students in marketing and leadership, and created two non-profit organizations. My wife, Irina, is a well-respected political scientist and activist, who also happens to be my best friend and confidant. I am deeply inspired by working to create a better future for our three amazing children.
Though my personal and professional journey has taken me around the world, I am returning to Illinois because I am passionate about giving our citizens the best opportunities the world has to offer, the most common-sense social protections our taxes should provide, and the most pragmatic leadership that can be mustered.
I want to restore the 12th District’s status as a place where our children can thrive. Where they know there are abundant opportunities for education and careers in every field. Where equal pay for women is not just a national concern but a local one. Southern Illinois deserves leadership that cares about every one of its citizens. My wife and children are proud carriers of Armenian heritage, and our family is a symbol of the multicultural families that are a natural part of a diverse and thriving Southern Illinois. I am a candidate that can relate to multiple generations of voters, channeling years of leadership and relationship training, inspiring our neighbors and friends to get out, vote, and WIN.
I would enter this race with an iron-clad commitment to fight on behalf of my neighbors and residents in the 12th district. …Read more