GOP Dist. 74 state House candidate Mike DeSutter is confident his values and extensive experience in farming will help him be effective as a state representative.
Borrowing from Paul Harvey’s famous 1978 “So God Made a Farmer” speech, DeSutter’s recent Liberty Principles PAC campaign ad highlights the conservative leader’s beliefs – family, farming and faith -- and points out how he will draw from his wealth of experience in farming to guide his decision making in Springfield.
“And on the eighth day, God looked down and said, ‘I need a caretaker.’ So God made a farmer, and now Illinois needs this farmer in Springfield,” the ad said.
DeSutter is a third-generation farmer, and his family’s farm has been very successful. In fact, DeSutter Farms in Woodhull received the Illinois Farm Family of the Year award in 2012. DeSutter Farms incorporates technology and conservation practices to promote stewardship in land use.
“Mike DeSutter understands the importance of family, farming and faith,” the commercial said. “He believes the way you respect what your parents provided you is to grow it and leave it better for your children than it was left for you. That’s the approach he takes with farming – that’s the approach he will take to Springfield as our state representative.”
DeSutter hopes to represent state agricultural interests and believes in fair representation, building an environment that creates jobs, passing a budget that stays within the state’s means and pursuing school funding reform.
Also eyeing the Republican nomination for Dist. 74 this March are fellow farmer Wayne Saline of Rio and retired Army Lt. Col. Daniel Swanson of Alpha, whose family also owns a farm. The winner of the primary will run against Democrat Bill Butts of Galesburg for retiring incumbent Don Moffitt’s seat.
In a recent candidate forum at Carl Sandburg College, DeSutter said he is running to serve his community and believes in term limits for legislators. DeSutter also said he would have no problem working with Democrats to solve the budget impasse hanging over the state, adding that his wife was a Democrat when he married her. She has since become a Republican.
Last month, DeSutter told the West Central Reporter that there is an urgent need for reform in government to effectively serve Illinois citizens.
“We need to protect and empower families here in Illinois. I support increasing education spending and government reforms that will grow our economy and our tax dollars,” DeSutter said.
DeSutter graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in agricultural business and is a life-long resident of the 74th District who is actively involved in his community.
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