GOP tries to keep Hebda campaign official

Republican Cynthia Hebda will stay off the primary ballot for the suburban 59th District legislative seat despite a late-campaign attempt to keep the Vernon Hills trustee in the race.

The Illinois Supreme Court declined to step in Wednesday and reinstate Hebda's eligibility after a petition by House Republicans.

A Cook County Circuit Court judge initially ruled Hebda violated candidacy rules by signing the nominating petition of state Rep. Carol Sente, the Democratic incumbent.

A state appeals court recently upheld the ruling.

Hebda has said she signed Sente's candidate petition because she's a friend and didn't intend to break the rules. She's blamed Democratic operatives for the effort to dash her candidacy.

Though she's legally disqualified, the court actions came too late to remove Hebda's name from the ballot. But votes cast for her will not count.

Two other Republicans - Dan Sugrue and Mohan Manian, both of Green Oaks - remain in the running for the GOP nomination in the district, which includes parts of southern and central Lake County and a small portion of Cook County.

In the Democratic primary, Sente is being challenged by Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein.