Kyle McCarter

Kyle McCarter is a Republican member of the Illinois Senate, serving in the Senate since February 2009. He replaced former Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson after the latter resigned due to poor health. After the Senate redistricting, parts of the old 51st, 54th, and 58th districts were combined to create the new 54th Senate District; McCarter ran successfully for the 54th district.

McCarter unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Congress in the 2016 GOP primary for Illinois's 15th congressional district against incumbent John Shimkus.

McCarter graduated from Oral Roberts University in 1984 with a degree in accounting. McCarter was a member of the St. Clair County board from 2000 until 2009, when he was appointed to the Illinois State Senate. McCarter also served for six years on the O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, including two years as President and four years as Chairman of the Economic Development Committee.

Businesses

McCarter owns and operates Custom Product Innovations and Custom Coating Innovations in Lebanon, Illinois. McCarter's companies outsource parts of their production to China. McCarter said, "I go to China four to six times a year to visit with our manufacturers. It's a capitalist's dream over there."

Non-profits

McCarter and his wife, Victoria, lived and worked in Kenya for Each1Feed1, a Christian ministry that gives care and education for orphans and widows, in 1987-1988 and built Faith Medical Clinic. Kyle currently is the International Director and Victoria is the Director of Education for Each1Feed1, and they travel to Kenya several times a year. McCarter is also a supporter of Mercy Ministries, a charitable Christian organization.

Illinois State Senate

After Republican State Senator Frank Watson resigned, shortly after suffering a stroke, McCarter was appointed to fill his place in the Illinois State Senate in February 2009.

On May 31, 2011, McCarter accused Democratic state Sen. Mike Jacobs of punching him after a debate over an electricity rate increase, a claim Jacobs denied by saying in a televised interview that "the senator was full of shit" and "someone who couldn't even really polish my shoes". McCarter had noted that Jacobs' father was a registered lobbyist for the utility, but Jacobs' response was that "one thing he would not allow to happen would be for anyone to question my integrity." Jacobs also said this information had been fully disclosed, his constituents were aware of it, "and they would make a decision based on that". It was reported that McCarter filed a police statement over the incident.

Committee assignments

As of the 100th General Assembly, McCarter sits on the following committees:

• Appropriations II
• Environment and Conservation (Minority Spokesperson)
• Public Health
• Local Government
• Labor
• State Government

In October 2015, McCarter announced he would be running for the United States House of Representatives for the 15th district against fellow Republican incumbent John Shimkus, rather than run again for State Senate. While McCarter does not live in the 15th district, he lives close to the border and has said he is looking to move to Effingham.

McCarter has received Tea Party support, as well as support from other conservative groups, including the Club for Growth. McCarter is running to the right of Shimkus, saying he is insufficiently conservative and an "insider."

Prior to announcing his candidacy for Congress, McCarter used about $33,000 from his state campaign fund to pay a political consultant. That consultant, Elizabeth Van Holt of Isaiah Consulting, appeared with McCarter when he announced his congressional candidacy on October 7, 2015. State law prohibits the use of such campaign funds for federal races. McCarter said the money was paid for work related to his State Senate seat.

Prior to the second quarter of 2015, McCarter's campaign committee never reported more than $50,354 in any quarter since the 2010 election cycle. In early 2016, McCarter's campaign refunded $52,000 in campaign contributions that had been accepted against FEC rules.

McCarter ultimately lost the election to Shimkus, receiving 39.63 percent of the vote.

Energy

In a debate in 2012 and later public statements McCarter publicly supported a "clean coal" plant in Taylorville, Illinois. The day after Archer Daniels Midland and Tate & Lyle, both major employers in McCarter's senate district, expressed concern about the project, he changed his position and voted against the bill. Both companies were also donors to his campaign. In response Kurt Erickson of The Southern Illinoisan wrote, "In the process, he became the quintessential politician that voters love to hate: He said one thing on the campaign trail and then reversed himself once safely elected."

Anti-bullying bill

In May 2012, McCarter voted against a bill in the state senate that would have encouraged public schools to implement anti-bullying programs. McCarter voted against the bill because he believed such programs would be used to promote homosexuality. While answering questions about his vote, McCarter said, "Some of these programs are very good. They indeed encourage kids not to bully. But there are programs throughout the United States, used in some high schools and universities, that really have just a pro-homosexual agenda, and nothing but that.”

McCarter and his wife Victoria live in Lebanon, Illinois. They have two living children: Zach and Austin. Their daughter Amber died in 2006 at the age of 21 from a heroin overdose.