After narrow loss in 2024, Peterson making second bid for state House

Months after falling less than 50 votes short of a seat in the state legislature, Maria Peterson announced Monday she will again run for the 52nd District House post.

Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills defeated the North Barrington Democrat last year by 47 votes in a race that wasn’t settled for two weeks after Election Day.

But before getting a second chance against a Republican, Peterson will have to win the Democratic nomination in a field that already includes Barrington Area Unit District 220 school board member Erin Chan Ding of South Barrington and former Barrington village board candidate Jesse Rojo.

“Since the last election, I have committed countless hours to electing Democrats locally, and worked with Barrington Giving Day, the Rotary Club, and others to help families who are drowning in property taxes, paying more for child care than their mortgage, and skipping doctor visits due to costs,” Peterson said in Monday’s announcement. “I am ready to take this and years of fighting for our community to Springfield.”

A retired attorney and small business owner, Peterson previously served on the Citizens Utility Board, North Barrington Plan Commission and Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals.

The 52nd District includes all or parts of Algonquin, the Barrington area, Fox River Grove, Inverness, Island Lake, Volo, Wauconda, Libertyville and Mundelein.