Longtime Springfield attorney Kent Gray announced yesterday that he is seeking the Republican nomination for Sangamon County State’s Attorney.
Gray intends to run for the position during the 2024 General Election cycle. Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright was appointed Monday as an associate judge in the 7th Judicial Circuit.
Gray is a graduate of the St. Louis University School of Law, and also has Masters and Bachelors of Business Administration degrees. He has been a lawyer in private practice for over two decades. He was elected in 1999 and served the community for 18 years as a Trustee and Chairman of Lincoln Land Community College. In 2004, Gray was the Republican Party candidate for Christian County State’s Attorney. He has also previously sought the elected office of circuit judge.
Gray previously worked on the George W. Bush and Donald Trump White House staffs. He was an appointee of former President Trump, serving as Senior Advisor at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Gray was suspended from practicing law for one year back in 2018 after Gray was found to intentionally fail at complying with discovery orders requiring him to turn over his income tax returns and then made false statements to the court and opposing counsel about the existence of the returns, according to the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission at the time. At a March 2017 hearing before an ARDC hearing board, Gray denied the allegation about tax returns, blaming an IRS computer problem, according to the State Journal Register.
Gray lost the GOP primary to Tim Butler for the 95th Illinois House seat last June. According to the Illinois Times at the time of his candidacy, Gray owed back property taxes on his Leland Grove home and according to the Times by his own admission, owed child support payments.