. . .while its important to knock Denny off and I pledge to go out and help my brother Dogman a couple of weekends, there is buzz that the Democratic candidate in the state's 10th Congressional district, Dan Seals, is starting to put some heat on Mark Kirk.
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The online newsletter Cook Political Report, one of the Beltway's better handicappers, last month put the 10th on its list of about 50 seats the GOP conceivably could lose this fall. Mr. Seals raised $374,000 in the first quarter and says he's "in that ballpark" for the second quarter — well behind what Rep. Kirk has in the bank, but pretty good for a guy running his first race.
Perhaps most telling: Illinois' two U.S. senators, rock star Barack Obama and Democratic Whip Richard Durbin, have jumped into the race big time, committing money, attention and personal time to the effort.
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Sen. Obama declined comment, but party insiders suggest Mr. Seals reminds the senator of himself: young, attractive, articulate and African-American. Sen. Durbin says he's just helping a good candidate, but others say it's no coincidence that the target is Rep. Kirk, who many consider the GOP's strongest choice to oppose Sen. Durbin's re-election in 2008.
Mr. Seals says he doesn't know if that's true, but neither is he looking any gift horses in the mouth. Instead, the 34-year-old executive at General Electric Commercial Finance is trying to make the race a referendum on President George W. Bush, whose popularity has sagged in the socially moderate, soccer mom district.
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http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?id=25994&postDate=2006-06-17 (must have subscription)
I want to see Denny knocked off more than anyone else, but common sense says you have to put your resources where they make sense. If we can pick up Illinois 6th and 10th, Durbin and Obama have to do what they have to do!
To learn more about Dan Seals visit:
http://www.dansealsforcongress.com/