Harold, I hate to burst your bubble here.  but having lived in a very republican county here in Illinois, that is standard procedure.  If a republican in Sangamon County quits, dies or is forced out, you can be sure that no special election will take place.  He will be replaced byt the son, daughter, wife, husband or some other nefarious relative of the republican elite.  that is why we have dynasties here.  the same names, just different faces.  If a republican plans on retiring, he makes sure to do it in the MIDDLE of their term of office, to guarentee a republican appointee who will then become an imcumbant when the election finally comes up.  We have had a county clerk ( a quite powerful office in this area) who was deeply involved in a cocaine ring who was re elected to office and is still there to this date.  His republican cohorts cover his transgressions and that of the republican judge's son and state prosecuter who were also involved.  the only guys who went to prison were the private citizens.  these other guys walked.  Our republican sheriff AND his predecessor were both caught drunk driving.  They served and are still serving there terms of office.  The republican party is so entrenched here that to elect a democrat takes a miracle.  The County board has 3 dems out of the 27 that serve.  Those are recent.  Usually it is just republicans. 

This is to illistrate that this goes on all the time.  State law gives the sitting governor the right to appoint for a vacancy.  Many other states do likewise.  It's not an Illinois thing.  If the republicans were in power and this crap was happening to them, you can be darn sure, there wouldn't be a "special election".  there are republican "machines in Illinois too.  I live in one.