McLaughlin narrowly leading in 52nd District while Syed appears headed to new term in 51st

Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills was leading Democratic challenger Maria Peterson of North Barrington by a narrow margin in their 52nd District race late Tuesday, while Democratic state Rep. Nabeela Syed seemed to have clinched another term in the 51st District.

With an estimated 91% of ballots counted, McLaughlin had 28,440 votes or 50.8% of the total to Peterson’s 27,539.

Spending and immigration were among the topics on which McLaughlin and Peterson disagreed.

McLaughlin, first elected four years ago, said the state’s spending is out of control, having climbed from $39 billion to $54 billion over the course of his two terms. He said the state should prioritize its spending on veterans, the disabled and students over “illegal migrants.”

Peterson said her family knows what it means to tighten their belts and survive financially as they did during the financial crisis of 2008, when she and her husband faced mortgage and car payments and were raising a young son. She took issue with McLaughlin’s remarks about migrants, saying that not all are here illegally and many are filling jobs for which there is a shortage of employees while paying taxes.

Also with 91% of ballots counted in the 51st District, Syed had 29,265 votes or 55% of the total while Ufodike had 23,983.

While both Syed and Ufodike promised to reach across the aisle, they debated the outcome of current Democratic dominance of the state legislature.

Syed said Illinois’ financial position has changed dramatically under Democratic leadership, citing nine credit upgrades in the past three years. But Ufodike responded that residents are sick of one-party rule and eager for some diversity of thought in Springfield. She pointed to the nonpartisan nature of her work as a township trustee as evidence of her potential effectiveness in state office.