Third-party candidates have made two more local General Assembly races – one House and one Senate – contested in November.
Dee Beaubien, widow of 52nd House District Rep. Mark Beaubien, filed Monday to run as an independent candidate against Republican nominee David McSweeney. Doug Marks, a Carpentersville village trustee, filed as a Libertarian to run in the 33rd Senate District against GOP nominee and Kane County Board Chairwoman Karen McConnaughay.
Monday was the last day for independents and newly qualifying parties to submit petitions. Before Monday, only one of the eight redrawn General Assembly districts that include McHenry County had a contested race.
Beaubien announced two months ago that she intended to run against McSweeney, who won a three-way primary and defeated Rep. Kent Gaffney, who was appointed to fill the remainder of her late husband’s term. Mark Beaubien died suddenly June 5, 2011, at a GOP event.
“I am grateful for the enthusiastic, widespread support of the voters who signed my petitions, and for the dozens of supporters who circulated them, walking door to door on weekends and evenings throughout the four counties of the 52nd District,” Beaubien said in a news release. “I remain committed to putting the best interests of the people of our district ahead of the partisan politics that are crippling our state.”
Beaubien said she will run to continue her husband’s legacy of being a fiscal hawk and a social moderate – Mark Beaubien, for instance, split with the GOP to support gay rights and opposed restrictions on abortions.
McSweeney said Monday afternoon that his campaign was reviewing her petition. Beaubien said she collected 3,500 signatures, more than twice the 1,500 needed.
Objectors to these newest petitions have until 5 p.m. Monday to file challenges with the Illinois State Board of Elections.
“We’re going to review the petition and see if she is qualified to be on the ballot. If she is qualified, I’m looking forward to a very spirited debate,” McSweeney said.
McSweeney had challenged the primary petitions of Gaffney and fellow challenger Danielle Rowe. He dropped the challenge against Rowe, and the election board dismissed his challenge against Gaffney.
The 52nd District under the new map covers southeastern McHenry County, including Cary and Fox River Grove, eastern Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Crystal Lake, and parts of Lake, Cook and Kane counties.
Marks will run against McConnaughay, of St. Charles, who won the GOP nomination for the 33rd Senate by defeating opponent Cliff Surges of Gilberts. Neither Marks nor McConnaughay could be reached for comment Monday.
The 33rd under the new map covers Huntley, much of Lakewood, Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills and western Algonquin, as well as parts of northern Kane County stretching south to Geneva.
Before Monday, the only contested local General Assembly race was the 26th Senate District, where incumbent Republican Dan Duffy is running against Democratic challenger Amanda Howland. It represents the same part of McHenry County that the 52nd House District does.
House Republican incumbents Mike Tryon and Tim Schmitz are running unopposed for the 66th and 65th districts, and McHenry County Board member Barbara Wheeler, also a Republican, is running unopposed for the 64th House District.
Democratic incumbent Jack Franks is running unopposed for the 63rd District. A last-minute attempt by tea party members and a local blogger to field a candidate failed when the special McHenry County Republican Central Committee meeting they requested failed for lack of a quorum.
OUTBOX
Who will represent you?
• Visit shawurl.com/6r5 to find the new post-census redistricting maps for the Illinois General Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Visit shawurl.com/4q2 to find the new map of McHenry County Board districts.
What it means
Two more local races for the General Assembly have become contested through third-party candidates:
• Dee Beaubien, widow of late state Rep. Mark Beaubien, filed Monday to run as an independent for the 52nd House District against GOP candidate David McSweeney.
• Doug Marks, a Carpentersville village trustee, filed Monday to run as a Libertarian for the 33rd Senate District against GOP candidate Karen McConnaughay.
The only other contested local race is the 26th Senate District – incumbent Republican Dan Duffy is running against Democratic challenger Amanda Howland.
All other districts in the county – the 63rd, 64th, 65th and 66th House and the 32nd Senate – are uncontested.
