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'''Steve Beren''' (born September 9, 1951, [[New York, New York]]) is a speaker, writer, and political activist from [[Seattle]], [[Washington State|Washington]].  He is a pro-liberty conservative citizen activist in support of the U.S. led war against [[terrorism]], and is actively involved in the [[Tea Party Movement]].  Beren attended the [[Tax Day Tea Party]] on April 15, 2009, as well the September 12, 2009 National Taxpayers [[Tea_party_protests#September_12_March_on_Washington|Tea Party March on Washington, D.C.]]<ref>[http://www.steveberen.com/taxdayteaparty.html Tax Day Tea Party], SteveBeren.com.</ref> Steve Beren has run twice for Congress against Jim McDermott, campaigning for the 2006 and 2008 elections.<ref>Aaron. [http://www.rlc.org/2009/02/05/economic-stimulus/ Stimulus – Wasteful, harmful, job-killing, and a threat to liberty], RLC.org, ''Republican Liberty Caucus'', February 5, 2009.</ref> Beren was the 2008 Republican candidate for [[U.S. Congress]] in Washington State's 7th Congressional District against incumbent Democratic Congressman [[Jim McDermott]].<ref>[http://neo-neocon.blogspot.com/2006/10/steve-beren-changer-extraordinaire.html Steve Beren, changer extraordinaire: from Socialist to Republican]</ref> He had also been mentioned as a possible conservative candidate for city council in the Seattle 2007 elections.<ref>Neil Modie. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/296534_seattlegop20.html GOP seeking unlikely victories in Seattle], ''seattlepi.com'', December 20, 2006.</ref>

'''Steve Beren''' (born September 9, 1951, [[New York, New York]]) is a speaker, writer, and political activist from [[Seattle]], [[Washington State|Washington]].  He is a pro-liberty conservative citizen in support of the U.S. led war against [[terrorism]], and is actively involved in the [[Tea Party Movement]].  Beren attended the [[Tax Day Tea Party]] on April 15, 2009, as well the September 12, 2009 National Taxpayers [[Tea_party_protests#September_12_March_on_Washington|Tea Party March on Washington, D.C.]]<ref>[http://www.steveberen.com/taxdayteaparty.html Tax Day Tea Party], SteveBeren.com.</ref> Steve Beren has run twice for Congress, campaigning for the 2006 and 2008 elections.<ref>Aaron. [http://www.rlc.org/2009/02/05/economic-stimulus/ Stimulus – Wasteful, harmful, job-killing, and a threat to liberty], RLC.org, ''Republican Liberty Caucus'', February 5, 2009.</ref> Beren was the 2008 Republican candidate for [[U.S. Congress]] in Washington State's 7th Congressional District against incumbent Democratic Congressman [[Jim McDermott]].<ref>[http://neo-neocon.blogspot.com/2006/10/steve-beren-changer-extraordinaire.html Steve Beren, changer extraordinaire: from Socialist to Republican]</ref> He had also been mentioned as a possible conservative candidate for city council in the Seattle 2007 elections.<ref>Neil Modie. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/296534_seattlegop20.html GOP seeking unlikely victories in Seattle], ''seattlepi.com'', December 20, 2006.</ref>

Steve Beren became a [[Christian]] in 1995. He and his [[wife]] live in the Seattle area where they are members of [[Christian Faith Center]].<ref>[http://www.steveberen.com/biography.html Steven Beren biography]</ref>  Furthermore, Beren has lived in Seattle since 1987, and is currently director of production operations for an internet marketing company.<ref>Scott St. Clair. [http://crosscut.com/2008/04/28/2008-election/13760/ GOP journal: Report from a county convention], ''Crosscut.com'', April 28, 2008.</ref>

Steve Beren became a [[Christian]] in 1995. He and his [[wife]] live in the Seattle area where they are members of [[Christian Faith Center]].<ref>[http://www.steveberen.com/biography.html Steven Beren biography]</ref>  Furthermore, Beren has lived in Seattle since 1987, and is currently director of production operations for an internet marketing company.<ref>Scott St. Clair. [http://crosscut.com/2008/04/28/2008-election/13760/ GOP journal: Report from a county convention], ''Crosscut.com'', April 28, 2008.</ref>

Steve Beren was the 2008 Republican challenger for U.S. Congress in Washington State's 7th Congressional District against incumbent Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott.<ref>Bruce Ramsey. [http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/edcetera/2008/11/03/the_challenger_to_jim_mcdermot.html The Challenger to Jim McDermott], ''The Seattle Times'', November 3, 2008.</ref> For the 2008 elections, candidates [[Dino Rossi]] and Steve Beren both tried to unseat McDermott; Dino Rossi took the approach appearing on the primary ballot as a party designation that read "G.O.P.," for [[Grand Old Party]]. Steve Beren was the contender for the Republican Party, where he said it was is a mistake to ditch the party on the notion that the Republican brand doesn't have the luster it used to. He stated, "Have bold colors, wave the Republican flag boldly. Wave fiscal conservatism, social conservatism, immigration conservatism -- boldly."<ref>Dan Springer. [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2008/06/24/washington-state-republicans-ditching-party-labels-to-compete/ Washington State Republicans Ditch Party Labels to Compete], FOXNews.com, June 24, 2008.</ref>  

Steve Beren was the 2008 Republican challenger for U.S. Congress in Washington State's 7th Congressional District against incumbent Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott.<ref>Bruce Ramsey. [http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/edcetera/2008/11/03/the_challenger_to_jim_mcdermot.html The Challenger to Jim McDermott], ''The Seattle Times'', November 3, 2008.</ref> For the 2008 elections, candidates [[Dino Rossi]] and Steve Beren both tried to unseat McDermott; Dino Rossi took the approach appearing on the primary ballot as a party designation that read "G.O.P.," for [[Grand Old Party]]. Steve Beren was the contender for the Republican Party, where he said it was is a mistake to ditch the party on the notion that the Republican brand doesn't have the luster it used to. He stated, "Have bold colors, wave the Republican flag boldly. Wave fiscal conservatism, social conservatism, immigration conservatism -- boldly."<ref>Dan Springer. [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2008/06/24/washington-state-republicans-ditching-party-labels-to-compete/ Washington State Republicans Ditch Party Labels to Compete], FOXNews.com, June 24, 2008.</ref>  

Similar to the 2006 elections, Beren acknowledged the difficulty of getting elected as a Republican in Seattle. The 10-term Jim McDermott is a liberal Democrat who has never gotten less than three-quarters of the vote in a re-election run. Despite the challenge, Steve Beren still ran a 30-second radio ad, urging Seattle's heavily Democratic voters: "C'mon, vote Republican for a change!"<ref>Emily Heffter. [http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/politicsnorthwest/2008/10/02/cmon_vote_republican_for_a_cha.html 'C'mon, vote Republican for a change!'], ''The Seattle Times'', October 2, 2008.</ref> Beren also stated in his plan to drill more domestic oil, "I'll help John McCain and Sarah Palin shake things up."

Similar to the 2006 elections, Beren acknowledged the difficulty of getting elected as a Republican in Seattle. The 10-term Jim McDermott is a liberal Democrat who has never gotten less than three-quarters of the vote in a re-election run. Despite the challenge, Steve Beren still ran a 30-second radio ad, urging Seattle's heavily Democratic voters: "C'mon, vote Republican for a change!"<ref>Emily Heffter. [http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/politicsnorthwest/2008/10/02/cmon_vote_republican_for_a_cha.html 'C'mon, vote Republican for a change!'], ''The Seattle Times'', October 2, 2008.</ref> Beren also stated in his plan to drill more domestic oil, "I'll help [[John McCain]] and [[Sarah Palin]] shake things up."

For Beren, his race wasn't about winning or losing. It was about creating an atmosphere in Seattle's Seventh Congressional District which is encouraging enough to get some of the Emerald City's closet conservatives out to the polls. On elections night, Beren said, "We're sewing the seeds for the future."<ref>Don Ward. [http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2008/11/steve_beren_on_election_night.php Steve Beren On Election Night], ''Seattle Weekly'', November 4, 2008.</ref>

For Beren, his race wasn't about winning or losing. It was about creating an atmosphere in Seattle's Seventh Congressional District which is encouraging enough to get some of the Emerald City's closet conservatives out to the polls. On elections night, Beren said, "We're sewing the seeds for the future."<ref>Don Ward. [http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2008/11/steve_beren_on_election_night.php Steve Beren On Election Night], ''Seattle Weekly'', November 4, 2008.</ref>