Republican state Rep. Martin “Marty” McLaughlin barely survived his last election, defeating Democrat Maria Peterson by just 47 votes in 2024. The two are facing off again in this northwest suburban district.
McLaughlin, 61, an investment manager and former Barrington Hills village president, has been a consistent voice for fiscal restraint in Springfield. He identifies property taxes as the district’s most pressing problem and has helped residents navigate the appeals process. “If government is going to keep raising the bill, taxpayers at least deserve to know how to fight an unfair assessment,” he told us.
Peterson, 64, a retired federal labor attorney, also promises property tax relief. We can see why she was such a tough opponent: She combines progressive views on taxation with a pragmatic approach to public safety and government ethics. We appreciate her call for the legislative inspector general to have more independence. Where she loses us is in her support for progressive taxation.
McLaughlin’s fiscal conservatism is important in a state that desperately needs greater discipline in that area.
Martin McLaughlin is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
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