McCarter

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Expect St. Clair County Board member Kyle McCarter to bring some of his familiar fiscal conservatism to Springfield when he officially takes his seat Wednesday as the Illinois Senate’s newest member.

McCarter, 46, a Lebanon businessman, has been appointed to the seat being vacated by Sen. Frank Watson, R-Greenville, who is leaving office to recover from the stroke he suffered last year.

McCarter told me in a phone interview this morning that his focus in Springfield will be on pushing to “do what we can for employers to create jobs.” He stopped short of calling for tax cuts , saying he wants to present a coherent proposal all at once. But he’s been known in St. Clair County politics for fighting for tax reduction and spending cuts.

McCarter’s 51st district is a sprawling one, stretching from Madison and St. Clair counties east to the Effingham area and north to Decatur. McCarter’s appointment, by the GOP chairs in each of the counties in the district, was something of a surprise, as most of the district lies outside the Metro East and he wasn’t the candidate being touted by GOP Senate insiders.

McCarter said he’s going to Decatur tomorrow, then to Springfield on Wednesday for his first legislative session day. We’ll be sitting down with him then and will have more about his plans.