Beaubien aide selected to fill lawmaker's vacancy

A longtime aide to the Barrington Hills lawmaker who died last month has been chosen to replace him.

Party leaders from Lake, McHenry and Cook counties Thursday evening in a weighted vote selected Kent Gaffney to fill late State Rep. Mark Beaubien's vacancy.

Beaubien, 68, collapsed at a fundraiser June 5. By law, county leaders had 30 days to select a replacement.

Gaffney is a Barrington resident and director of appropriations for the Illinois House.

Lake County GOP Chair Bob Cook said the decision came after a full day of interviews at Docks Bar and Grill in Wauconda.

Gaffney was chosen among a field of more than a dozen applicants, who included Barrington Mayor Karen Darch, Barrington School District 220 School Board member Nick Sauer, Wauconda Township GOP chair Glenda Swanson and Grayslake School District 46 board member Michael Carbone.

State Rep. Michael Tryon, of Crystal Lake, said he believes Gaffney was an exceptional candidate chosen from an exceptional field.

Alongside his fiscal expertise, Tryon said, Gaffney is well versed in constituent services, fundraising and campaigning, and has developed strong relationships.

“He has built relationships with elected officials and staff members that after eight years (in Springfield) I don't even have,” Tryon said.