Former senator Marc Bean will be hoping it is third time lucky for him at the December 15 by-election — after losing out at two previous elections to the United Bermuda Party.

The 36-year-old ran unsuccessfully as the PLP candidate for Southampton West Central in a December 2008 by-election, a year after being defeated in the same constituency at the 2007 General Election.

But he may have an easier time in Warwick South Central, a PLP stronghold in which former Premier Ewart Brown defeated UBP candidate Roderick Simons 562 votes to 252 at the 2007 election.

Mr. Bean is the son of Allan Bean Sr. and the late Corallyn (Covey) Bean and attended Southampton Glebe Primary School, Berkeley Institute, Delaware State University, Hampton University, Bailbrook College and flight school in Atlanta.

He is a qualified air traffic control specialist and has a commercial pilot's licence, as well as being a keen sportsman, who has represented Bermuda in junior tennis and played soccer, cricket and golf. Mr. Bean is a former cricket captain of the Somerset Bridge Recreation Club, former head coach of the Somerset Eagles soccer team and the club's current president.

He has served on the Bermuda Independence Commission, the Telecommunications Commission, the Public Transportation Board, the Public Vehicle Service Licensing Board, the Air Transport Licensing Board, and as deputy chairman of the West End Development Company.

In 2006, he received the Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honour.

He has worked in the Department of Airport Operations, Department of Marine and Ports and as the recruitment and enrolment manager for the Mirrors programme.

Under Dr. Brown's premiership, he served as the Government's advisor on Caricom affairs. He entered the Senate on June 11, 2008, as the Junior Minister of Tourism, Transport, Environment, and Sport. He later took on the Telecommunications, e-Commerce and Energy briefs.

Mr. Bean has two children, both CedarBridge Academy students: daughter Shaehlay, 16, and son Janhoi, 14.

Shaehlay said yesterday she was pleased her father was bidding to become an MP.

"I'm excited and I'm actually proud of him because he is such a young man. He is helping the community one by one and we don't always see that."