Senate candidates prepare for election

By Shelby Sebens of The Daily Vidette

May 01, 2002

As a result of the upcoming U.S. Senate elections, Illinois' three candidates will now begin preparing to debate their issues and platforms.

Current U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Illinois Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Westchester) and economics professor at Eureka College and author, Libertarian Steve Burgauer, have their sights set on the U.S. Senate in the November election.

Durbin's platform consists of improved healthcare, pension protection, education, social security, homeland security and economic development, Stacey Zolt, spokeswoman for Durbin, said.

All issues on Durbin's platform were of equal importance, she said. "Clearly our national defense has taken a greater role given the events overseas, but we cannot forget our needs at home," she said.

Durbin is also determined to see that working families are able to send their children to college, she added. "Senator Durbin is going to work to make sure that working families have a fighting chance," she said.

Durkin's platform includes strengthening national defense, giving quality education to children and improving the state of the economy, Brock Willeford, campaign manager for Durkin, said. Willeford said although Durkin's issues are equal in a sense, in this situation national defense will play a major role. "It's [government's] first and foremost role is to protect its citizens," Willeford said.

Burgauer's platform involves cutting taxes, eliminating the social security tax, protecting the second and fourth amendments, improving education and strengthening national defense.

"It's [cutting taxes] issue one, two and three for me. We need to cut taxes, cut taxes, cut taxes," Burgauer said. He added, "I just think we've got to reduce the flow."

Burgauer obtained both his bachelor's and master's degrees in economics from ISU. "That [ISU] was a great place to go to school," he said.

Burgauer said he believes the second and fourth amendments have been destroyed in today's society. "People's privacy should still be a cornerstone of our system," he said. He added a third party candidate would have a strong chance of getting their way.

Willeford said as far as improving the military, Durkin wants to rebuild systems. arouse weapons and restore intelligence funding and resources. "That includes giving our military a decent wage," he said.

Zolt agreed, saying, "Senator Durbin has been focused on national security and has supported military pay raises and consistently votes to support defense department operations."

Burgauer wants to strengthen the intelligence gathering capability and build a missile defense system.

Willeford said Durkin also thinks a national defense system would protect against any future terrorism. "It's something that needs to be explored and something that needs to be done to give us that national safeguard," he said.

Zolt said Durbin has worked to bring federal and local governments into a partnership with the coast guard to increase safety at coastal installations. She said he was key in implementing several new facilities to guard Lake Michigan.

"Senator Durbin is running on his 20 years of experience in Illinois," Zolt said. She added he has been advocating for federal dollars to go toward homeland security.

Willeford said Durkin has done a lot of "re-tooling" since the primary election. "I think it's going to be an issues-based campaign on both sides, I presume," he said. "I don't see it as a negative campaign of any sort," Willeford said. He said he thinks the campaign is just now getting down to the more specific issues.

Zolt said Durbin's 20 years of experience would help him win over voters in November. She added, "Senator Durbin's not going to take anything for granted and he will work his hardest to win over citizens of Illinois in the November election."