Martin McLaughlin

Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills has retained his 52nd House District seat by a 47-vote margin,

The reactions from suburban politicians and candidates to former President Donald Trump’s felony convictions largely were predictable, with many Republicans criticizing prosecutors and the trial itself and many Democrats expressing support for the legal process.

The mayors of Cary, Algonquin and Libertyville joined state Rep. Martin McLaughlin in condemning plans to eliminate the grocery tax because local communities would lose revenue.

The list of candidates for next year’s elections began to take shape this week. On the ballot next year are countywide offices, two county-level judicial vacancies and seats on the McHenry County Board and in the Illinois House and Congress.

Illinois primaries traditionally are held in March. But the General Assembly delayed the 2022 primary until June to give officials more time to incorporate 2020 census data into mandatory redistricting plans.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed a bill that sets up a program to distribute $20 million for grants and technical assistance for grocery stores as well as funding research into food insecurity.

With Tuesday’s election, voters in McHenry County selected candidates for two state senate and five house districts.

The race for Illinois governor won’t be the only one on Tuesday’s ballot. With the redrawing of the state’s political maps, the make-up of the entire McHenry County Board and both the U.S. and Illinois houses of representatives will be determined, along several other races.

While incumbent state Rep. Martin McLaughlin said the state of Illinois needs to cut its spending, Democratic challenger Mary Morgan said she appreciates a balanced budget but doesn’t want cuts to come from education.

The League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area will host a nonpartisan candidate forums for Illinois House District 52, which pits incumbent Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin against Democratic challenger Mary Morgan.

Illinois House 52nd District Rep. Martin McLaughlin said the protection of parental rights in healthcare and school settings, taxes, and inflation are the three top issues in the 52nd District

The former village president of Barrington Hills, McLaughlin is in his first term as a state representative

Several Republican candidates in close Tuesday primary races are holding their leads with the counting of vote-by-mail and early-voting paper ballots in McHenry County.

Though he was leading a tight three-way race in the 26th Illinois Senate District Republican primary, Dan McConchie was not ready to declare victory on Wednesday afternoon.

If early voting numbers are any indicator, McHenry County voters are itching to make some big choices.

In the Illinois Senate 26th District primary, Dan McConchie, Martin McLaughlin and Casey Urlacher are seeking the Republican nomination to replace Dan Duffy.