Brad Beekman

Brad Beekman is the Republican candidate for the Illinois State Senate, District 36, in the November 3, 2026 general election, where he faces Democratic incumbent Michael Halpin.[1][2] In a Ballotpedia survey, he described himself as a retired Illinois State Police master sergeant and a member of the Bushnell-Prairie City school board.[3]

Brad Beekman graduated from Astoria High School, attended Illinois College and earned a bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University in 1993, according to Ballotpedia.[2] In his survey responses, he said he worked 28 years in law enforcement and retired from the Illinois State Police in 2023 at the rank of master sergeant, with assignments in patrol, investigations, crash reconstruction and executive protection.[3] He said he served as a detail leader for executive protection of Governors Bruce Rauner and Pritzker.[3]

Beekman lives outside Bushnell in McDonough County with his wife and children, where the family owns a small farm, and he works part-time in the accounting department of a local bank, according to the survey responses.[3] Ballotpedia lists him as an at-large member of the Bushnell Prairie City Community Unit School District 170 school board, a position he has held since 2024.[2]

Beekman advanced from the Republican primary on March 17, 2026.[2] In the survey, he said he opposes the SAFE-T Act and supports having it repealed or amended, supports school choice alongside public, charter and home schooling, and wants regulations lifted to support farmers and small businesses.[3] He named property taxes and energy costs as policy areas of particular interest.[3]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.