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'''Nicholas Van Campen Taylor''', known as '''Van Taylor''' (born August 1, 1972), is an [[Iraq War]] veteran and [[Texas]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[business]]man who is his party's nominee for the [[Texas]] District 3 seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]] in the November 6 general election. Since 2015, Taylor has been a state senator in the heavily Republican District 8. He now seeks to succeed fellow Republican Sam Johnson, who is retiring from congressional seat. From 2011 to 2015, he represented District 66 in the Texas House of Representatives.

'''Nicholas Van Campen Taylor''', known as '''Van Taylor''' (born August 1, 1972), is an [[Iraq War]] veteran and [[Texas]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[business]]man who is his party's nominee for the [[Texas]] District 3 seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]] in the November 6 general election. Since 2015, Taylor has been a state senator in the heavily Republican District 8. He now seeks to succeed fellow Republican Sam Johnson, who is retiring from congressional seat. From 2011 to 2015, he represented District 66 in the Texas House of Representatives.

Taylor was born in [[Dallas]], Texas, to Nicholas Cavenhove Taylor the former Catherine Blaffer. After graduating from St. Paul's School, a preparatory school in [[Concord]], [[New Hampshire]], he graduated from [[Harvard University]] in Cambridge, [[Massachusetts]], with a degree in history. He then joined the USMC, completed infantry and intelligence training, and served as a reconnaissance platoon leader and an intelligence officer. After his four-year active duty tour ended, Taylor joined the Marine Corps Reserves. He returned to Harvard and earned a [[Master of Business Administration]] from the Harvard Business School; he then worked for McKinsey and Company and the Trammell Crow Company in Dallas until he volunteered for active duty service as a [[United States Marine Corps]] platoon leader in [[Iraq]].

Taylor was born in [[Dallas]], Texas, to Nicholas Cavenhove and the former Catherine Blaffer. After graduating from St. Paul's School, a preparatory school in [[Concord]], [[New Hampshire]], he graduated from [[Harvard University]] in Cambridge, [[Massachusetts]], with a degree in history. He then joined the USMC, completed infantry and intelligence training, and served as a reconnaissance platoon leader and an intelligence officer. After his four-year active duty tour ended, Taylor joined the Marine Corps Reserves. He returned to Harvard and earned a [[Master of Business Administration]] from the Harvard Business School; he then worked for McKinsey and Company and the Trammell Crow Company in Dallas until he volunteered for active duty service as a [[United States Marine Corps]] platoon leader in [[Iraq]].

Taylor served with the Marine Corps' C Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion and fought with the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company. As a captain, he led missions behind enemy lines for the 4500 Marine Task Force Tarawa, including the leadership of the task force's first platoon to enter Iraq before the start of the main invasion. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Taylor's platoon encountered, and defeated, several Fedayeen ambushes, participated in the operation to rescue U.S. prisoner of war Private First Class Jessica Lynch and rescued thirty-one wounded men under fire during a counterattack by several thousand Iraqi soldiers. His military decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal with "V" for Valor, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation. Taylor is a major in the Marine Corps Reserves.

Taylor served with the Marine Corps' C Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion and fought with the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company. As a captain, he led missions behind enemy lines for the 4500 Marine Task Force Tarawa, including the leadership of the task force's first platoon to enter Iraq before the start of the main invasion. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Taylor's platoon encountered, and defeated, several Fedayeen ambushes, participated in the operation to rescue U.S. prisoner of war Private First Class Jessica Lynch and rescued thirty-one wounded men under fire during a counterattack by several thousand Iraqi soldiers. His military decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal with "V" for Valor, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation. Taylor is a major in the Marine Corps Reserves.