A Republican businessman who heads the St. Clair County board in southern Illinois has been tapped to succeed newly retired Frank Watson in the Illinois Senate.
A GOP committee made up of Republican chairmen from each county in the 51st District chose Kyle McCarter of Lebanon on Saturday.
Watson retired after suffering a stroke last year.
Forty-six-year-old McCarter will serve the remainder of Watson's term, which expires in January 2011.
McCarter owns Custom Product Innovations. He says the chairman of the St. Clair County Republican Central Committee will recommend his board replacement.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
