Marko Sukovic, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has announced that he is running for state representative in Illinois’ 59th District. The millennial college student is majoring in political science with a minor in public relations and plans to use his professional, political, and leadership experience to serve the people of his district.
Less than a week into his campaign, Sukovic has knocked on more than 1,000 doors, spreading his message to voters. He is aware that his status as a college student may make some hesitant to support him, but he is certain that his age is an asset to his campaign.
Sukovic explained his optimistic message and political accomplishments in a phone interview with the Washington Examiner and believes he could “breathe fresh air into Springfield” if elected representative.
“I think it can be something that people can relate to. I’m looking to represent the new generation of people who are just now coming of age and really breaking into the professional world. Instead of making the decision to leave the state like so many of my peers, I’m deciding to do something to change that — while the state rep seat is open. I want to keep more families here.”
In addition to being an effective messenger for millennials, Sukovic has extensive political experience despite being just 22 years old. Three months after Charlie Kirk, a friend of Sukovic’s, founded Turning Point USA in 2012, he joined the organization’s national effort to create chapters on college campuses across the United States, specifically in the Midwest. Sukovic spent three years with Turning Point, educating millennials on the principles of free markets, limited government, individual liberty, economic opportunity, and capitalism. He registered students to vote, spoke to them about the problematic national debt, prepared promotion materials, managed sponsorships, and recruited college students to join Turning Point’s national student movement. Sukovic recruited students from the most liberal schools in America, including Oberlin College in northern Ohio, and recalls recruiting efforts when there was two feet of snow on the ground.
After leaving Turning Point USA in 2015, Sukovic focused on his work as political director for Congressman Bob Dold, a centrist Republican serving in the 10th House District of Illinois. Sukovic says he learned a lot from the results-based Republican who sought out practical solutions to real-world problems.
“He is one of the more moderate members of the House of Representatives, but I think that’s what this district is looking for. They’re not looking for someone to be over-partisan in any direction. They’re looking for someone to go to work with some common-sensical solutions and one who will actually listen to his constituents,” Sukovic said of both Dold and Illinois’ 59th District.
“If you label me, you negate me. I’m just looking to find where we can come together and find some common ground. No single party will have a monopoly on all the correct answers.”
Sukovic served as Dold’s political director for four and a half years and had the opportunity to “talk with all of the mayors in [Dold’s] community, facilitate those relationships, organize community events, and become familiar with some of the same towns that are in [the 59th District].” Dold’s congressional district fully encapsulates the State House district Sukovic is running in.
He also served as a junior associate for Mercury Public Affairs in Washington and gained professional experience in public relations and government affairs. He interned at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation where he worked on making it easier for people to join the labor market.
As a conservative in college, Sukovic is aware of the struggles he and his conservative peers face while at school. He describes these troubles as being multifaceted.
“Students who care about free markets and fiscal conservatism face big challenges [on campus]. The school administration makes it very difficult for students to practice free speech, which prevents them from being able to find like-minded people and start a group or an organization. You can really be ostracized just for expressing a certain point of view in the classroom when having a discussion,” he explained.
“Frankly, college should be about exposing yourself to as many of these ideas as possible, even if they’re disagreeable. As scholars, we should look at the merits of these arguments and then say, ‘well, this doesn’t hold up’ or ‘you know what, this could add to the way I see the world.’ The biggest challenge that conservatives in college face is that they’re not exposed to an environment where this line of thinking is the norm.”
Sukovic faces potential primary competition against one other Republican on March 20, 2018. The general election is next November, against the winner of a four-way Democratic primary.
Sukovic’s belief in economic opportunity was largely shaped by his grandparents, who immigrated to the United States from the former Yugoslavia. One week after arriving on American soil, his grandfather started working in a General Motors manufacturing plant in the south side of Chicago, which provided a solid foundation for his children. Sukovic’s parents work as an attorney and a dentist. The diverse families of the 59th District share similar stories.
“The people of the 59th District are some of the most hardworking in the entire state. There are a lot of immigrant communities in certain parts of the district, some of which are first and second-generation Americans paving the way forward for their families,” Sukovic told the Washington Examiner.
The young conservative has a very proactive vision for the people in his district. Instead of being excessively partisan, he strives to find shared ideas and to provide “radical common sense” for his future constituents.
“Property taxes are increasing in the state of Illinois. These skyrocketing taxes are forcing some families to make the decision to leave the state. It’s currently not an environment that’s conducive to growth when families face these barriers simply for living in the district.”
Sukovic supports a property tax freeze. He is also a staunch advocate for imposing term limits on Illinois government officials and believes many of his state’s problems were created by people abusing their power while in office.
“The people of Illinois need term limits. We are home to the longest-serving state House speaker in the country, Michael Madigan, for 40-plus years. If you want to know who Illinois can attribute so many of its misfortunes to — it is this gentleman.”
Sukovic also supports independent redistricting maps and ending gerrymandering in the state.
In addition to running for office, Sukovic says he will consider attending law school and potentially PR work for a major sports team or government official in Illinois, depending on what opportunities present themselves.
He enjoys spending time with two younger brothers and a younger sister at their sporting events. He grew up playing ice hockey and enjoys the camaraderie involved with the sport and those he plays with. He loves to travel across the United States and the world and has been to France, Italy, and many countries in the Balkan Peninsula. Aside from visiting the major cities, he also enjoys visiting smaller neighborhoods to understand the local culture.
Sukovic encourages other millennials to “always remain engaged” and active in their communities. He thinks the toxic political climate in 2017 is a “big problem” and believes that many millennials are hesitant to run for office in order to fix it.
“Many people would view politics today as being in its most difficult state ever. The solution is not to stay away from it but to engage yourself even more. Thrust yourself into the challenge, whether that’s finding an internship that you’re really passionate about, going to events, meeting new people and getting to hear their ideas even if they disagree with you,” he advises fellow millennials.
“Be persistent and have a good head on your shoulders. Even though it may be difficult to predict what will happen in the future, continue to put yourself in a position where you will find success. You can only do that by having a good, strong work ethic and being able to build relationships with people in a genuine way. Stay in the political conversation,” he urges.
He knows there is a lot of work to be done and believes his “home is worth fighting for.” Despite his age, Sukovic has an impressive Rolodex of local connections and keen community insight. He is ready to represent millennials and diverse families in his district, and his common-sense approach to problem-solving is certain to resonate with voters, even in the current tumultuous political landscape. In an age where outsiders win, college-aged Marko Sukovic may have a strong chance at representing his home district.
Aaron Carpenter (@aaronjcarpenter) is a senior at Ohio State University majoring in mechanical engineering. One of Aaron’s claims to fame is that Donald Trump retweeted one of Aaron’s tweets in March 2015.
