By MARCELLA S. KREITER
CHICAGO, March 21 (UPI) -- With the presidential primaries already decided, the highlight of Tuesday's Illinois primary is the brawl on the North Shore, where 10 Republicans are vying for the seat being vacated by Republican Rep. John Porter in the 10th Congressional District.
The race is the most expensive congressional challenge in state history, with spending by Republicans topping $5 million for the right to challenge Democrat Lauren Beth Gash, who is running unopposed, in November.
Porter announced last year he would not seek re-election from his suburban Chicago district, ending 20 years in Congress. At the time, he cited House rules that would force him to relinquish his Appropriations subcommittee chairmanship.
The race to replace him includes six millionaires. Shawn Donnelley of Libertyville, of the Donnelley press family, spent $1.9 million of her own money on the race. Highland Park businessman Andy Hochberg put up $1 million.
"I think this is exactly why we need to look at campaign finance reform," anti-abortion candidate Thomas Lachner of Lake Bluff, told the Chicago Tribune. Lachner has put up $10,000 of his own money for the race.
Both Donnelley and Mark Steven Kirk, Porter's chief of staff, have been called carpetbaggers by their opponents because they just recently took up residence in the district. A commercial by Glenview businessman John Cox's camp compares the two to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who recently purchased a house in suburban New York so she could run for Senate.
"The current congressman is backing some guy who hasn't even lived in Illinois for 15 years, doesn't own a house here, has never raised a family and isn't in touch with our needs," says a radio ad from Northbrook Mayor Mark Damisch.
Another candidate, Jim Goulka of Kenilworth, targets Donnelley: "For years Shawn Donnelley has worked as a lobbyist in Washington and as a fundraiser for liberal Democrats. Her job? Getting tax breaks for big corporations. She moved to the district only 16 weeks ago."
Donnelley fired back with commercials accusing her opponents of picking on her and her parents for deciding to raise her in Florida.
The issue just simmering beneath the surface in the district is abortion. Porter has supported abortion rights and seven of the 10 Republicans in the race have followed his lead. Polling in the district indicates most residents also support abortion rights and party leaders fear if one of the anti-abortion candidates wins the primary, the seat will go to Gash in November.
Also running are Jon Stewart of Deerfield, John Guy of Deerfield, Scott Phelps of Mount Prospect and Terry Gladman of Glencoe.
In other congressional races, Rep. Bobby Rush, a former Black Panther leader, faces challenges from three upstarts, including state Sen. Barack Obama, whose Harvard law degree may prove an obstacle to acceptance in the 1st Congressional District, which includes parts of Chicago's South Side and some south suburban districts. Rush has painted Obama as an intellectual out of touch with the people he wants to represent.
Obama argues Rush has failed to provide the kind of leadership necessary to help the district. George Roby and state Sen. Donne Trotter also are challenging Rush.
In central Illinois, the son of retiring Congressman Tom Ewing is facing a tough battle to replace his father in the 15th Congressional District. Sam Ewing of Normal, who recently moved back to Illinois from Texas, is facing state Rep. Bill Brady of Bloomington, state Rep. Tim Johnson of Sidney and dentist Jeffrey Jones of Downs. On the Republican side, F. Michael Kelleher of Normal is facing Laurel Lunt Prussing of Urbana. It is the first time since 1982 that the district has had contested primaries in both parties.
