Two candidates are seeking the Republican Party nomination in Illinois State Senate District 36.
They are retired Illinois State Police Master Sergeant Brad Beekman and fuel truck driver Patrick Harlan.
The winner of the primary will face Democratic State Senator Mike Halpin in the November 2026 election.
Here is a bit of background about the Republican candidates, listed in alphabetical order:
Brad Beekman
Age as of March 17, 2026: 55 years old.
Occupation: Retired Master Sergeant - Illinois State Police; currently employed at Farmers & Merchants State Bank - Accounting and Trust Department.
Education: Western Illinois University - Bachelors of Applied Science - Major: Law Enforcement Administration, Minor: Economics
Community involvement: Elected member of the Bushnell Prairie School Board, member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, own and operate a farm, employed at Farmers & Merchants State Bank, member of Cole Street Coffee House Advisory Board (owned by Checkrow Community Church), member of Checkrow Community Church (past Board Chairmen), Assistant Youth Group Leader at Checkrow Community Church, supporter of Youth for Christ and Faith Bible Camp.
Patrick Harlan
Age as of March 17, 2026: 46 years old
Occupation: Fuel truck driver- Love’s Travel Stores
Education: Blue- Collar
Community involvement: Current- Vice Chairman- Knox County Republican Party, Previous- Chamber of Commerce 20 under 40 recipient, KofC 556 3rd Degree, Costa Catholic Academy junior high basketball coach, Youth group leader March for Life
TSPR asked the candidates the following questions. Their answers are listed below in alphabetical order.
Why are you running?
Beekman: Use proven leadership experience to talk with constituents, listen to their concerns, and work with lawmakers to pass laws that uphold the Illinois Constitution.
Harlan: I’m running for State Senate because Illinois has lost touch with the people who actually keep this state running, and I’m tired of watching working families, farmers, and small communities get ignored by political elites in Springfield. I’m not a career politician. I work for a living. I spend long days behind the wheel as a truck driver, and when I’m done with work, I’m out talking to neighbors, listening to concerns, and campaigning because I believe our district deserves real representation. Too many lawmakers write policy from a desk without ever feeling the consequences of those decisions. I live them every day. People in Senate District 36 are struggling with rising taxes, high energy costs, out-of-control crime, and government mandates that make life harder instead of safer. We’re told to accept it, to comply, and to trust the same system that keeps failing us. I don’t accept that. I believe government should serve the people, not control them. I’m running to restore common sense, accountability, and respect for the Constitution. I believe in law and order, supporting our local law enforcement, protecting victims, and repealing failed policies like the SAFE-T Act that put criminals back on the street while law-abiding citizens pay the price. I believe energy should be affordable, farmland should be protected, and families should not be punished for trying to make ends meet. Most importantly, I’m running because this district deserves a senator who will show up, speak plainly, and fight for them, not sell them out for political favors. I don’t owe Springfield anything. I owe my loyalty to the people who live here, work here, raise families here, and love this region. Illinois doesn’t need more politicians. It needs public servants who aren’t afraid to stand up to the system. That’s why I’m running.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the 36th State Senate District?
Harlan: The biggest challenge facing the 36th Senate District is the growing disconnect between state government and the everyday realities of the people who live and work here. Decisions made in Springfield are driving up costs, weakening public safety, and putting unnecessary pressure on rural communities, farmers, and working families. Rising taxes and the cost of living are squeezing people from every direction. Families are paying more for fuel, electricity, groceries, and property taxes, while wages struggle to keep up. At the same time, state mandates and regulations continue to pile up, especially on agriculture, trucking, and small businesses, the backbone of this district. Too often, these policies are written without input from the people most affected by them. Public safety is another major concern. Policies like the SAFE-T Act have shifted the system away from protecting victims and holding repeat offenders accountable. Our communities deserve to feel safe, and law enforcement officers deserve support, not political attacks or policies that tie their hands.
How would you address that issue if elected to office?
Beekman: I would advocate for laws that promote safe communities, reliable funding for education, growth for agriculture and small businesses, lower property taxes, affordable energy and cut wasteful spending.
Harlan: If elected, my focus will be on restoring common sense and accountability. I will fight to lower the cost of living by opposing tax increases, pushing for affordable and reliable energy, and standing against mandates that hurt rural Illinois. That includes protecting productive farmland from poorly planned development and ensuring energy policy works for people, not special interests. On public safety, I will work to repeal or reform failed policies that put dangerous individuals back on the streets and weaken confidence in the justice system. I will support local law enforcement, victims’ rights, and prosecutors’ ability to do their jobs effectively. Most importantly, I will be a senator who listens. I will bring the voices of the 36th District directly to Springfield and make sure our concerns are not ignored. The people here don’t want extreme politics, they want practical solutions, fairness, and a government that respects their work, their communities, and their freedoms.
The Democratic Party currently controls the Illinois legislature. What would you do to ensure your voice is heard and your legislative priorities are passed?
Beekman: Work to build trusting relationships with Democrats and draft bipartisan bills.
Harlan: While Democrats currently hold a supermajority in the Illinois legislature, that doesn’t mean minority voices are powerless, especially when those voices represent real people and real consequences. My approach will be to combine principled leadership with relentless advocacy for the 36th District. First, I will be a senator who shows up prepared and informed. I will know the issues, understand the details of legislation, and clearly articulate how state policies affect rural communities, working families, agriculture, and public safety. Respect in the legislature is earned by doing the work, not by grandstanding. Second, I will build coalitions where common ground exists. Not every issue should be partisan. Affordability, infrastructure, public safety, and supporting local economies matter to constituents on both sides of the aisle. I will work with any lawmaker, Republican or Democrat, who is willing to listen and put people ahead of politics. At the same time, I won’t compromise core principles. When legislation threatens public safety, constitutional rights, or the livelihoods of people in my district, I will speak out clearly and unapologetically. Even in a minority position, strong voices can influence debate, shape amendments, and slow or stop bad policy when the public is paying attention. I will also use transparency and communication as tools. I will keep constituents informed about what is happening in Springfield and how it impacts them. When lawmakers know that people back home are watching and engaged, it changes the conversation. Public pressure matters. Finally, I believe the strongest leverage any legislator has is the trust of their constituents. I will carry the concerns of the 36th District directly into committee rooms and onto the Senate floor, making it clear that these are not abstract ideas, they are real-world issues affecting real communities. My job will be to fight for this district every day, whether that means passing legislation, improving it, or standing in the way of policies that hurt the people I represent.
What should be done to make an education more affordable at the state’s public colleges and universities?
Beekman: Increase state funding by increasing Pell Grants, subsidized public student loans-not private lenders, cut tuition, conduct quarterly staffing audits.
Harlan: Making higher education more affordable starts with recognizing that tuition costs are driven less by instruction and more by administrative growth, state mandates, and decisions made far away from students and families. Illinois families should not have to go into decades of debt for a degree, especially when many graduates struggle to find work in their field. First, the state must rein in administrative bloat at public colleges and universities. Over the past several years, the number of non-teaching administrators has grown while tuition continues to rise. Taxpayer dollars and tuition payments should be prioritized for classrooms, instructors, and student support, not layers of bureaucracy. Second, we need greater transparency and accountability in how universities spend public funds. Schools receiving state funding should be required to clearly justify tuition increases and demonstrate cost-containment efforts before asking families and taxpayers for more. Simply writing bigger checks from Springfield without reform only fuels higher prices. Third, Illinois must expand and strengthen career-focused pathways. Not every student needs or wants a four-year degree, and we should stop treating skilled trades as a second-class option. Community colleges, apprenticeship programs, and technical training tied directly to workforce needs should be affordable, accessible, and respected. These programs allow students to earn good wages without crushing debt and help keep young people in our region. We also need to make sure state financial aid programs are focused on students who need them most and are simple to access. Families shouldn’t need a lawyer or a financial advisor to navigate the system. Finally, affordability means keeping Illinois competitive. When tuition rises faster than family incomes, students leave the state, and many never come back. Keeping education affordable helps retain talent, strengthen local economies, and give our young people a future right here at home. As a state senator, I will push for fiscal responsibility, transparency, and practical education policies that put students and families first, not bureaucracies.
Where would you like to see spending reduced or eliminated in the state budget?
Beekman: Reduce grants to Non-Governmental Organizations.
Harlan: Illinois does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending and priorities problem. Families, farmers, and small businesses in the 36th District are tightening their belts, and state government should be expected to do the same. One area that deserves serious scrutiny is the rapid growth in spending on programs related to non-citizen services. Regardless of where someone stands politically, Illinois taxpayers deserve transparency and limits. Funding priorities should focus first on residents who live, work, and pay taxes here, including seniors, veterans, and struggling families. When spending expands without clear boundaries or accountability, it puts additional strain on an already overburdened budget. Another area that must be addressed is the cost of government itself. Illinois lawmakers should not be insulated from the fiscal realities facing everyone else. Legislative compensation and pension benefits should reflect the same standards of sustainability and responsibility expected of the private sector. Taxpayers should not be asked to fund benefit packages that are increasingly out of reach for the people they represent. Beyond that, Illinois must reduce waste across state agencies by cutting administrative bloat, duplicative programs, and politically driven subsidies that pick winners and losers. Every program should be evaluated based on results, not intentions, and programs that fail to deliver measurable value should be scaled back or eliminated. Spending should be focused on core responsibilities: public safety, infrastructure, education, and services for the truly vulnerable. When the budget reflects clear priorities, it becomes easier to protect essential services while respecting taxpayers. As a state senator, I will approach the state budget with discipline, transparency, and common sense, making sure every dollar spent can be justified to the people who earned it.
Where would you like to see the state spend more money?
Beekman: Building infrastructure for non-renewable energy plants such as nuclear and coal.
Harlan: When Illinois spends taxpayer dollars, it should focus on areas that deliver clear, measurable benefits to communities. If we are going to invest more, it should be in core responsibilities that strengthen public safety, public health, and long-term stability, not expanded bureaucracy. One of the most urgent areas in need of investment is mental health. Illinois is facing a real mental health crisis that impacts families, schools, workplaces, and public safety. For too long, the state has closed or reduced access to mental health facilities without putting effective alternatives in place. That has left law enforcement, emergency rooms, and families to manage situations they were never meant to handle alone. The state should invest in reopening and expanding access to mental health treatment facilities, crisis stabilization centers, and community-based services, especially in rural areas where options are limited or nonexistent. Funding should prioritize early intervention, substance abuse treatment, and crisis response so people can get help before situations escalate into tragedy or involvement with the criminal justice system. Public safety should also remain a priority. That includes supporting local law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim services, as well as ensuring officers have access to training and mental health resources of their own. Addressing mental health and supporting law enforcement are not opposing goals, they are connected. In addition, Illinois should continue to invest in infrastructure that supports the economy, including roads, bridges, and freight corridors critical to agriculture, manufacturing, and trucking. Strategic infrastructure spending improves safety and lowers long-term costs. Finally, workforce development and career-focused education deserve continued investment, particularly through community colleges and apprenticeship programs that lead to good-paying jobs without excessive debt. Spending more should never mean spending blindly. It should mean targeted investments, accountability, and real outcomes. As a state senator, I will push for responsible spending that addresses the mental health crisis, strengthens public safety, and helps communities in the 36th District thrive.
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