Esther Joy King is a battle-ready leader with a heart to serve. Esther’s training as a lawyer and Captain in the Army Reserve makes her ready to get things done for us in Congress, starting on day one.

She learned the value of service from her parents who were missionaries on the US-Mexico border in Juarez. Although her family did not have much, they were generous to those who were less fortunate. It was growing up in this life of ministry that Esther learned the values of faith, family, and tireless sacrifice for others.

After earning a marketing degree in college, Esther spent time in Kabul, Afghanistan serving as an aid worker for women’s rights. She became passionate about democracy, human rights, and America’s ability to be a force for good in the world. During the disastrous military withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, Esther fought to help dozens of the young girls she once taught escape the brutal Taliban regime.

Esther studied law at Northwestern School of Law, where she earned a JD and Masters of Law in Taxation. She began her legal career as an Associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago and later had the opportunity to serve the State of Illinois in the Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Technology. These experiences motivate Esther to seek out common-sense solutions for the workers and small business owners of Illinois.

Because of her desire to serve our great nation, Esther is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. She was recently promoted to Captain and assigned to the Rock Island Arsenal.

Today, in addition to her service in the Army, Esther is an entrepreneur and practices law in East Moline focusing on real estate for economic development. Esther understands the genuine struggles of making ends meet in the face of a slow economy and dysfunctional government. One of the main drivers of her run for Congress is growing economic opportunities for the people of central and Western Illinois.