Given the intense national fight for control of the U.S. Senate, Illinois' campaign is receiving surprisingly little attention - from the state media or from the national Republican Party.

Sen. Dick Durbin, completing his first six-year term, is expected to win by a comfortable margin. He has name recognition. He has built significant political clout during his six years as senator. He has had many more campaign dollars at his disposal than his opponent, Republican Jim Durkin.

(Before we go any further, let's make it clear that the Democrat is Durbin with a "b" and the Republican is Durkin with a "k.")

It's too bad the race hasn't garnered more attention, because Durbin has an interesting - if not experienced - opponent. Durkin, a state representative from a district in Chicago's western suburbs, is a moderate Republican who doesn't toe the party line. He is a former Cook County felony prosecutor and assistant Illinois attorney general who is known in the legal community as the prosecutor who authored legislation to enforce greater demands on his own peers to make criminal trials more fair. He is known as someone who will not let his convictions be impeded by the conventional flow.

That - and that fact his campaign has received relatively little money - would explain why he's running a statewide candidacy without television ads. The underdog candidacy earned him the Republican nomination in March, but it isn't likely to serve him well Nov. 5.

Durkin, for all of his qualities, is not as well qualified as his opponent. Durbin served in the U.S. House for 14 years prior to being elected senator, and was quick to take on leadership roles in the Senate. Durbin is no stranger to facing surprise Republican candidates - he defeated Al Salvi in the 1996 campaign.

Durbin is an unapologetic liberal who has been criticized in some circles for his partisanship. But he also is a tireless worker for all of Illinois - he probably has been in the Galesburg area more during the campaign months than some candidates running for "local" office - who has proven to be a strong and influential advocate for state needs. He also is part of a nice balance Illinois has in the U.S. Senate, with Durbin on the "left" and freshman Sen. Peter Fitzgerald on the "right."

Durbin took the unpopular stance of voting against the Iraqi war resolution in the Senate earlier this month. Whether that decision was seen as partisan or courageous probably depends on your viewpoint. Durbin said he was disappointed by Congress' brief consideration of such an historic shift in policy, from containment to preemption. His discomfort with the swiftness with which Congress acted may be merited. We disagree with Durbin's ultimate decision to oppose the resolution, but we respect it.

That is how Durbin works in Washington - and how he has built political clout - through standing by his convictions but doing it in a respectful way.

As an example, Durbin is the first Illinois senator in 25 years to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee - a position of power that Durbin has used to bring home money for various projects in the state.

Perhaps the best indicator of Durbin's ability to serve constituents on both sides of the philosophical fence was his recent endorsement from the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the first Democratic endorsement in the state Chamber's history.

"The Illinois Chamber is impressed with the senator's professionalism, stature and leadership," Ray Neisewander III, chairman of the Illinois Chamber, said in a statement announcing the endorsement. The Chamber noted Durbin's strong position to be an advocate for Illinois.

We agree, and believe Sen. Dick Durbin has earned our endorsement to serve another six years in the Senate.

Publication: Galesburg Register-Mail
Date: October 28, 2002
Author: Editorial

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