Brian Boquist

Infobox Politician
name= Brian Boquist


imagesize=
state_house = Oregon
district = 23^rd
term= 2005–
preceded= Lane Shetterly
succeeded=
date of birth= October 20 1958
place of birth= Tillamook, Oregon
date of death=
place of death=
party= Republican
spouse= Peggy
profession= Small business owner
religion= Catholic
footnotes=

Brian James Boquist (born October 20 1958) is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. He currently serves in the Oregon House of Representatives, representing District 23 in the mid-Willamette Valley. He is the Republican candidate for the Oregon Senate District 12 in the 2008 Oregon legislative elections.

Early life and career

Boquist was born and raised on a dairy farm in Tillamook, Oregon. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and graduated from Tillamook High School before enlisting in the United States Army. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Oregon State College (now Western Oregon University) and an MBA from Oregon State University.cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.or.us/boquist/bio.htm|title=Representative Brian Boquist|publisher=Oregon State Legislature|accessdate=2008-09-25]

Boquist is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve, and since 1995, is an executive with International Charter Incorporated of Oregon, an international aviation company that specializes in a variety of support operations for the United States government. He served as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of Army special forces in Iraq for seven months, receiving the Bronze Star Medal and recommendation for promotion for his service.cite news|title=5th district primary a fight to stand out|work=The Oregonian|last=Hortsch|first=Dan|date=2008-02-28]

Political career

In 2000 and 2002, Boquist was the Republican nominee for the the United States House of Representatives in Oregon's 5th congressional district, but lost both times to incumbent Darlene Hooley.cite web|url=http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov72000/other.info/usrep.htm|title=November 7, 2000 General Election: U.S. Representative|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=2008-09-29] cite web|url=http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov52002/abstract/usrep.pdf|title=November 5, 2002 General Election: U.S. Representative|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=2008-09-29]

In 2004, Boquist filed to run again for Hooley's seat, but when Oregon state representative Lane Shetterly resigned to run the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development commission, Boquist chose instead to run for Shetterly's seat in Oregon House District 23.cite web|url=http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_020304_shetterly_appointment.7c633219.html|title=Shetterly picked for land-use agency|publisher=KGW.com|accessdate=2008-09-29] Though Jim Thompson was named by Oregon Republicans to complete Shetterly's term, Boquist defeated him in the Republican primary and went on to win the general election.cite web|url=http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/may182004/abstract/sr.pdf|title=May 18, 2004 Primary Election: State Representative|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=2008-09-29] cite web|url=http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov22004/abstract/sr.pdf|title=November 2, 2004 General Election: State Representative|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=2008-09-29]

In the 2008 Republican primary, Boquist announced that he was leaving the Oregon House to seek election to the state Senate. He was unopposed for his party's nomination to represent Oregon Senate District 12 and faces Democrat Kevin Nortness in the general election. (Jim Thompson, whom Boquist defeated for the state House in 2004, is now seeking the vacated House seat.)

Personal

Boquist and his wife Peggy have six children and live in Dallas, Oregon.

References

External links

* [http://www.leg.state.or.us/boquist Legislative website]
* [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=46475 Project VoteSmart biography]
* [http://www.icioregon.com/index.htm International Charter Incorporated of Oregon website]