Mike Bost

Email editor@[the profile publisher].org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Bost was born and raised in Murphysboro, Illinois. He graduated from Murphysboro High School in 1979 and enlisted with the United States Marine Corps. He served from 1979 to 1982 as a trained electronic specialist and radar repairman. He received an honorable discharge as a Corporal E-4.

After leaving the Marine Corps, Bost moved back to Murphysboro. From 1984 to 1988, he began his political career by serving on the Jackson County Board. Shortly after, he was elected as Treasurer of Murphysboro Township from 1989 to 1992. In 1993, he became a certified firefighter at the University of Illinois Firefighter Academy.

Bost became a Trustee of Murphysboro in 1993 and left the position in 1995 after he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. Bost worked 13 years at Bost Trucking Service up until his election to the Illinois legislature. He spent six terms as a state representative while still serving as a firefighter.

After being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Bost still resides primarily in Murphysboro with his wife, Tracy. They own a small business called the "White House Salon."[1]

Mike Bost has not yet completed [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Send a message to Mike Bost asking him to fill out the survey.

If you are Mike Bost, click here to fill out [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out the candidate survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete [the profile publisher]'s Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's [the profile publisher] profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for.  More than 32,000 candidates have taken [the profile publisher]'s candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

You can ask Mike Bost to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing info@bostforcongress.com.

Mike Bost did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Mike Bost did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Mike Bost did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

The following themes were found on Bost's campaign website.

Improving Agriculture

Protecting our agricultural economy is vital to the sustainability of Southern Illinois. That’s why Mike has fought to reduce regulatory burdens that strangle our farmers and ranchers.

He’s also worked to provide our producers with the tools they need to help mitigate against risk in a fiscally responsible way through the Farm Bill.

Additionally, Mike has sponsored critical legislation to help beginning farmers and ranchers access credit. He’s also voted to make major investments in rural broadband that would benefit under-served areas like Southern Illinois.

Moving Toward Energy Independence

Southern Illinois has a proud heritage of coal mining and contains significant coal deposits. Recently, new technologies have developed to more efficiently produce energy from this coal with less pollution. Unfortunately, there remain those opposed to any use of fossil fuels.

Mike has consistently supported an all-of-the above energy policy that makes use of all our nation’s resources. As Southern Illinois families struggle with higher energy bills, Mike believes it’s common sense to use the resources that are proven and affordable.

Moving Our Economy Forward

Mike has fought for policies that allow working families to keep more of their hard-earned money and promote economic growth.

Mike voted for Tax Reform legislation, which gives an average tax cut of over $2,2000 to Southern Illinois families. He’s also voted to roll back job-killing regulations left over by the Obama Administration.

Accessible & Affordable Healthcare

Mike believes that Southern Illinoisans should have the right to make their own health care choices. That’s why he supports allowing businesses and associations to pull together their health plans to obtain larger health care premium discounts from major health insurers.

He wants to encourage more, not less competition, in the Medicare system by expanding, not shrinking, the popular Medicare Advantage program. We need to support measures that reduce costs, which will ultimately affect the price of premiums and the number of people who can afford insurance.

Reining in Government Spending

Money doesn’t grow on trees, but those in Washington often think it does. For too long, legislators went to Washington with a focus of “how much to spend” instead of “what to cut.” Because of that mindset, federal spending is out-of-control with growing deficits that place the burden on future generations.

Just as Americans must balance their own household budgets, Congress should be held to the same standards. Congress must make decisions that balance our federal budget in a reasonable, responsible way that leaves a country to our children and grandchildren better than the one we inherited.

Providing for Our National Defense

As a U.S. Marine, Mike is committed to a strong national defense. With growing threats to U.S. interests around the world, he knows we must ensure our military is the best-trained and most advanced in the world so we meet the challenges of today and prepare for threats of tomorrow.

Mike is a strong supporter of a robust defense budget and a proud advocate for Scott Air Force Base – a vital economic engine to Southern Illinois.

Protecting Social Security & Medicare

Those counting on Social Security and Medicare should not have to worry about the promises that were made to them are kept. Mike opposes efforts to privatize, raise the retirement age or increase the payroll tax.

Congress must work together to prevent the financial collapse of these programs by promoting bipartisan efforts to address systemic problems and ensure its longevity for current and future generations.

Guaranteeing 2nd Amendment Rights

We have a constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms and it must be preserved and defended at all levels of government. Period.[15]

—Mike Bost's 2018 campaign website[16]

Campaign advertisements

The following is an example of an ad from Bost's 2018 election campaign.

"Mike Bost for Southern Illinois" - Bost campaign ad released September 5, 2018

The following issues were listed on Bost's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

Improving Agriculture: Agriculture is another key industry that Mike believes the government should support and further develop. Throughout his career in the Illinois State House, Mike has fought to keep property taxes and equipment taxes low in an effort to support the farm industry. He will bring that same type of philosophy as a Member of Congress. Providing our farmers and ranchers with the tools they need to help mitigate against risk, in a fiscally responsible way, is beneficial to agricultural communities, consumers, and the taxpayer.

Moving Toward Energy Independence : For too long, we have lacked a long-term energy plan. It’s time to stop talking about the need to becoming more energy independent and start working on an agenda, in a bipartisan manner, to actually move us closer to it. Mike believes that America can and should be energy independent, and that a focus on exploration, innovation and technology are the keys to harnessing our own natural resources. As a leader in the Illinois State House, Mike was the chief negotiator for the Illinois Hydraulic Fracturing Regulation Act in 2013, which will allow the state to expand and grow its energy production with the potential to creating thousands of good, high paying jobs in Southern Illinois.

Accessible & Affordable Healthcare: Obamacare is more than a broken website. The website was just the tip of the iceberg and as the full implementation of Obamacare continues to roll out. Mike Bost believes that individuals, families and small businesses understand their health care needs better than government bureaucrats. We can agree with the provisions of allowing younger Americans to remain on their parent’s insurance, banning insurance companies from denying pre-existing condition and removing lifetime caps however, it does not mean Obamacare is the right answer as it fails to address the affordability of quality health care.

Moving Our Economy Forward: With more and more people living paycheck to paycheck, Mike would advocate for policies that promotes economic growth and be an strong advocate for working Americans. Instead of hindering job creation with an overly complicated tax system and government overregulation, we should promote policies that allow the entrepreneurial spirit to flourish.

Reining in Government Spending: Money doesn’t grow on trees but those in Washington often think it does. For too long, legislators went to Washington with a focus of “how much to spend” instead of “what to cut.” Because of that mindset, federal spending is out-of-control with growing deficits that place the burden on future generations.

[15]

—Mike Bost's campaign website, https://www.bostforcongress.com/issues/

Bost's campaign website listed the following issues:[17]

Improving Agriculture: "Agriculture is another key industry that Mike believes the government should support and further develop. Throughout his career in the Illinois State House, Mike has fought to keep property taxes and equipment taxes low in an effort to support the farm industry. He will bring that same type of philosophy as a Member of Congress."

Moving Toward Energy Independence : "For too long, we have lacked a long-term energy plan. It’s time to stop talking about the need to becoming more energy independent and start working on an agenda, in a bipartisan manner, to actually move us closer to it. Mike believes that America can and should be energy independent, and that a focus on exploration, innovation and technology are the keys to harnessing our own natural resources."

Accessible & Affordable Healthcare: "Obamacare is more than a broken website. The website was just the tip of the iceberg and as the full implementation of Obamacare continues to roll out. Mike Bost believes that individuals, families and small businesses understand their health care needs better than government bureaucrats. We can agree with the provisions of allowing younger Americans to remain on their parent’s insurance, banning insurance companies from denying pre-existing condition and removing lifetime caps however, it does not mean Obamacare is the right answer as it fails to address the affordability of quality health care."

Moving Our Economy Forward: "With more and more people living paycheck to paycheck, Mike would advocate for policies that promotes economic growth and be an strong advocate for working Americans. Instead of hindering job creation with an overly complicated tax system and government overregulation, we should promote policies that allow the entrepreneurial spirit to flourish."

Reining in Government Spending: "Money doesn’t grow on trees but those in Washington often think it does. For too long, legislators went to Washington with a focus of “how much to spend” instead of “what to cut.” Because of that mindset, federal spending is out-of-control with growing deficits that place the burden on future generations."

[15]

—Mike Bost's campaign website, http://www.bostforcongress.com/issues/