Beaubien not counting on House Republicans for support

Since joining the 52nd House District race as an independent, Dee Beaubien has said she’d work to emulate her late husband Mark Beaubien’s ability to work across both sides of the aisle.

Illustrating that bipartisan support are the names of more than 30 current and former politicians and community leaders backing the Barrington candidate, according to a list Beaubien’s camp provided Wednesday.

Notably absent, however, are any of the state Republican lawmakers she’d be working with if elected.

State Rep. Rosemary Mulligan of Des Plaines is the list’s lone House Republican, and an outgoing one at that after dropping her primary bid seeking an 11th term. She is joined by former state Reps. Suzie Bassi, Gwen Klinger, Carolyn Krause, Beth Coulson, Pat Lindner and Rosemary Kurtz in offering their support.

Among the Democrats for Beaubien are state Rep. Elaine Nekritz of Northbrook and state Sen. and Lake County Democratic Chairman Terry Link of Waukegan.

“I think Dee is a candidate capable and desiring of solving the state’s problems on a bipartisan or ‘tripartisan’ basis to get that done,” Nekritz said.

Opponent David McSweeney of Barrington Hills, the more conservative GOP primary winner, said the list is further proof that Beaubien has “clearly aligned herself with the Chicago Democrats who continue to raise our taxes to fund more spending.”

The Democrats didn’t slate any candidate to run in the district.

But Beaubien said the lack of public support from House Republicans is the result only of her not approaching them.

“I know politics pretty well, and David McSweeney is their elected candidate,” Beaubien said. “It’s just the reality that they can’t be on the list.

“I wouldn’t want to impose on people I know.”

Beaubien added that Republicans who did offer their support, such as McHenry County Board member Donna Kurtz, Lake County Board member Stevenson Mountsier and a couple Cuba Township trustees, are “very brave.”

“I will take support from anybody who offers it,” Beaubien said. “It’s crucial at this point in politics, which have gotten away from policy and become all about partisanship.”