Here is what the Chicago Tribune Editorial Page says about McHenry County’s State Rep. races:
District 52
Republican incumbent Martin McLaughlin has represented this northwest suburban district for two terms. He faces a tough test from Maria Peterson, a retired attorney who has served on the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals and the North Barrington Plan Commission.
McLaughlin, former village president of Barrington Hills, is a consistent critic of Springfield Democrats and a believer in smaller government. We appreciate his advocacy for loosening the strict deadlines on closure of fossil-fuel-fired power plants per the 2021 Climate & Equitable Jobs Act, which threatens to leave northern Illinois vulnerable to electricity shortages by 2030.
Peterson is a moderate Democrat who backs consolidation of Illinois’ absurdly large number of taxing bodies, which we applaud.
Still, McLaughlin’s fiscal conservatism is needed in Springfield at this time.
We endorse Martin McLaughlin.
District 63
Steve Reick has no contest, so the Tribune did not endorse.
District 64
Republican incumbent Tom Weber, of Lake Villa, abides by a no-nonsense philosophy toward budgeting. Don’t spend beyond your means, and then ramp up taxes to catch up. More often than not, that’s the Democrats’ approach. “Continued tax hikes will only inflict more damage on Illinois’ economy and drive more residents and employers out of our state,” Weber told us. Democratic challenger Rick Konter is a retired mechanic from Ingleside who says regulations are overburdening Illinois businesses. Our endorsement goes to Weber.
District 66
Democratic incumbent Suzanne Ness of Crystal Lake, who has represented this far northwest suburban district since 2021, is facing Republican Laurie Parman of Sleepy Hollow, a retired teacher.
Ness, 55, has identified homelessness and lack of affordable housing as key issues in the district. Parman, 69, told the McHenry Times the top issue in the district is fears of migrants from south of the border committing crimes.
Suzanne Ness gets our endorsement.
Distric 69
This Wisconsin border district starts just west of Woodstock and works farther west into the eastern part of Rockford. Republican Joe Sosnowski has been the House member from the district since 2011. For the second straight election, Democrat Peter Janko, 72, is challenging him.
Sosnowski, 47, won by 22 points in 2022. His focus is on improving the economy. He told us that if Illinois grew its population over the past decade at the same rate as surrounding states, “we would have 1 million more Illinois residents.” Familiar GOP stances such as lower corporate and property taxes are part of his solution. He proposes limiting property taxes to no more than 3% of a home’s valuation.
Our endorsement goes to Joe Sosnowski, who capably represents this district.
District 70
Since 2018, Republican Jeff Keicher has represented this district, which covers part of DeKalb and points east and northeast, including Sycamore and Cortland. Opposing him is Democrat Randi Olson, 60, a trustee in the town of Cortland.
Keicher emphasizes rising property taxes as the main inhibitor to population and economic growth in the state and a need to improve the business environment. He has been an intelligent critic of the state’s energy policies, arguing that Gov. JB Pritzker’s 2021 Climate & Equitable Jobs Act risks electricity reliability and needed capacity for data centers (one of which recently was built in his district) and other power-hungry businesses.
Keicher notes to us, too, that he supported the 2019 gas tax increase as part of Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois infrastructure bill. “I was told it would be a ‘career killer’ for a freshman Republican,” he told us. “But in fact what it did was earn me a reputation as an independent and honest arbiter in negotiation on other matters and a voice of reason who can approach Democrats and Republicans alike on issues of controversy to try to find a solution.”
With a background in the day care industry, Olson points a useful spotlight on the need for more affordable child care.
But Jeff Keicher is a solid lawmaker and is endorsed.
