Suburban GOP Legislator Being "Bombarded" by Dem Cash
Rep. Marty McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) and Democratic opponent Maria Peterson.
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If there’s a race that may be indicative of the leftward shift of the suburbs, it could be the battle for a state House seat in a wealthy, but diverse, far northwestern suburban district.
Rep. Marty McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills), the former Barrington Hills Mayor who was elected to the House in 2020 faces Democrat Maria Peterson, who rose to prominence in 2022 after nearly knocking off Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) in a tight Senate race.
Peterson is a retired small business owner and retired labor attorney.
McLaughlin is widely considered one of the most vulnerable members of the legislature in the November campaign.
The district includes portions of Cook, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties, including all or parts of Barrington, Algonquin, Wauconda, Libertyville, and Mundelein.
When asked what she can do for the district, Peterson said McLaughlin has not done anything productive in two terms in the House.
“[I can do] certainly a lot more than what my opponent has done in the last two terms, which he's done nothing,” she said. “I mean, he's brought no money to the district. He's passed no legislation and he's sponsored some things which are actually pieces of legislation that are divisive.”
But McLaughlin said he has a record of working hard for the district.
“I've got a reputation in the region that people are pushing back at the $2 million, roughly, of advertisements saying I'm an unreasonable extremist,” McLaughlin said. “People have experience with me as mayor and as state representative. I've been out in the last month and a half mainly [talking to] independents. They want solutions on issues. They're not really interested in the far left, far right rhetoric. They see me as a person that will deliver that.”
Democrats have repeatedly hit McLaughlin over abortion, which has been a part of the Democratic strategy in nearly every competitive race this fall.
Peterson says McLaughlin is one of many Republicans who are a threat to abortion rights.
“Republicans have filed [over 50] bills against women's rights and reproductive health care here in Illinois. So it's always under attack,” she said. “So this misconception that abortion is safe here in Illinois, that reproductive rights are safe here in Illinois, is false because they're always under attack until abortion rights and reproductive health care is put into the constitution of Illinois. We always have to be fighting it. We always have to be watching on our backs.”
But, McLaughlin, who is the father of five daughters, says he supports abortion rights in the cases of rape, incest, and the life and health of a mother.
“It's settled law in Illinois. It's a straw man argument used to wedge a vote from women. And to me, it's a lack of respect for women by telling them there's an issue that's before them that is already settled in Illinois,” he said. “I personally believe in medical freedom between myself and my doctor and a woman and her doctor. I've always [supported] exceptions. So she's misrepresenting my position there. As Bill Clinton said, I'd like to see it safe, rare, and legal. And I've been I've been quoted on that for years. So the idea that I'm extremist, somehow, on an issue that's not even going to be before the people of Illinois is just a political stunt that really demonizes women and tries to use an issue that's not in question in Illinois.”
As has been the norm for competitive House races across the state, Democrats are swamping Republicans in money in the suburban district.
Since October 1, House Democrats and Speaker Chris Welch have given Peterson around $1.1 million, much of it for broadcast TV. In the same time, Peterson has reported another $105,000 in large donations. Democrats or aligned groups have spent around $142,000 on digital ads and another $163,000 on direct mail. Democrats spent about $325,000 on Peterson in the third quarter and she finished September with around $75,000 in the bank. Peterson has been running broadcast television ads in the Chicago market for weeks.
We previously reported McLaughlin is not receiving financial help from the House Republican campaign arm.
“Marty is just getting bombarded,” said one GOP consultant. “It’s hard to overcome that kind of cash.”
Americans for Prosperity and Local 150 have reportedly been spending money in the district.
McLaughlin won his race for re-election in 2022 52%-48% over a Democrat who received significantly less funding from Speaker Chris Welch’s political operation than Peterson.
President Biden won the district by six points in 2020 but Donald Trump won it by about a half point in 2016. Governor Pritzker won the district by about seven points in 2022.