Republican

Mike Babcock

Bethalto

Age: 50

Married

Children: 3

Job: Small business owner

Phone: (618) 467-0172

Web: www.mikebabcock.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MikeBabcockForIllinois

Twitter: Babcock4IL56

E-mail: mike@mikebabcock.org

Education: Bachelor's in business marketing, SIUE

Previous offices: Wood River Township supervisor, Bethalto Police Pension Board

Qualifications: I am a life-long resident of Madison County who lives in Bethalto with my wife, Carol, and three sons. I am a small business owner in Glen Carbon and have been involved in the insurance and financial industry for 18 years. I am currently the Wood River Township supervisor. As supervisor, I cut the tax rate for all residents, declined taxpayer-funded health insurance and reduced the township budget by more than 7 percent.

Top issues: The key issues in this race are repealing the recently enacted 67 percent tax increase (the largest in history), balancing the budget free of gimmicks and reducing the immense burdens placed on small business owners in order to spur job creation.