An East Moline real estate lawyer and small business owner has announced her candidacy for Illinois’ 17th Congressional District. The 33-year old that plans to challenge Congresswoman Cheri Bustos is Republican Esther Joy King. In a statement released Wednesday, August 21st King said: “I will promote a policy agenda aligned with the priorities and values of our congressional district…..Most of all, I will deliver more civility and truly bipartisan efforts to make government work better for the people of the Illinois 17th.” King was born homeless and was raised in a converted school bus. Her Christian missionary parents moved to Juarez, Mexico when King was three to help open Christian schools in the region. She went on to study law at Northwestern School of Law, where she earned a JD and Masters of Law in Taxation in 2013.
After graduating college, King went to Kabul, Afghanistan where she served as an aid worker. She began her legal career as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago and from there she joined the U.S. Army Reserve as a JAG officer. She is now a Captain stationed at the Rock Island Arsenal.
