Politics                                                          

Democrats face a dogfight over the U.S. Senate seat

The prospect of a no-holds-barred battle for the nomination could jeopardize the party's hopes to retain the seat won in 1984 by Paul Simon

By CHARLES N. WHEELER III

"I don't belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat." — Will Rogers

While the cowboy philosopher offered his classic description of a brawling, wide-open Democratic Party more than half a century ago, the label still fits today. For proof, Illinoisans need look no further than the dogfight that's now on the horizon for the seat of U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, who's retiring after two terms.

Although most folks still may be recovering from the election held only 10 months ago, the field is already crowded for the Democratic primary, just seven months away. The prospect of a bloody, no-holds-barred battle for the nomination could jeopardize the party's hopes to retain the seat Simon won in 1984 from U.S. Sen. Charles H. Percy (R-Ill.).

A March contest would be costly, soaking up millions of dollars that will be missed in November. In addition, an intraparty free-for-all would provide the GOP candidate ready-made attack material. Remember, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Richard Phelan, not Gov. Jim Edgar, was the first to pin the fatal 42-percent tax increase label on Dawn Clark Netsch. Party leaders would prefer to avoid a primary, of course. But after former Attorney General Neil Hartigan decided not to run, leaving an open field, a trio of Democrats jumped into the race. The list includes U.S. Rep. Richard J. Durbin, former state Treasurer Patrick Quinn, and former Democratic National Committee Chairman David Wilhelm. Other hopefuls could emerge before the December deadline for filing.

Durbin, a Springfield lawyer, has been one of the Democrats' rising stars during his seven terms in Congress. Until the Republican takeover, he was one of the House's so-called "college of cardinals," the chairmen of the 13 subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee. Now he is the ranking Democrat on the Agriculture subcommittee; he also serves on the Transportation and District of Columbia subcommittees. In those posts, he has provided vital support for state projects, both downstate and in the Chicago area. His congressional experience is a two-edged sword, however; it has also given him a long voting record on controversial issues, which his rivals can be expected to mine for campaign ammunition.

Indeed, Quinn already has chastised Durbin for supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement, which the central Illinois congressman sees as a boon to state agriculture and exports. Durbin, who got his start in public life as a staff aide to then-Lt. Gov. Simon, has been endorsed by both his longtime mentor and by the state's junior U.S. senator, Carol Moseley-Braun.

At 38, Wilhelm is the youngest of the three candidates, a fact he plans to use to his advantage. "As the first Illinois Senate candidate of my generation, I understand that neither the policies of the 1920s nor the policies of the 1960s will solve the challenges of a new century and a vastly different world," he said. But he is no political novice. Wilhelm, who lives in Chicago, is an executive with an investment firm. His resume includes managing President Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's 1989 and 1991 City Hall campaigns, as well as his stint at the party helm. And his close ties to Clinton could undermine his "fresh face" theme.

Despite a carefully crafted image as the quintessential political outsider, Quinn, too, has spent most of his adult life in politics, beginning as a campaign advance man for former Gov. Dan Walker. The founder of the Coalition for Political Honesty, Quinn led the petition drive that resulted in the constitutional amendment cutting the size of the Illinois House by one-third. He was instrumental as well in creating the Citizens Utility Board, which fights utility rate hikes.

But the Cutback Amendment — and

6/August 1995/Illinois Issues

his penchant for painting all elected officeholders as insensitive to the plight of the little guy — has not endeared him to party regulars. Still, he won two primaries and the race for state treasurer before getting clobbered last fall by Secretary of State George H. Ryan. While Quinn will find it harder than his two rivals to raise funds for a Senate race, money may not be as critical to him. His long activism on statewide consumer issues has made him the best known of the candidates. Moreover, he has an uncanny knack for seizing hot-button issues, such as term limits, which he alone of the three Democrats supports. Quinn is extremely adept at garnering free media coverage; eminently quotable, he is a master of the well-turned phrase that makes a terrific sound bite for broadcasters. Already he's begun muted attacks on Durbm and Wilhelm for having "a Washington perspective."

While the Democrats face a damaging intraparty fight, Republicans can play the role of bemused observers. Although Lt. Gov. Bob Kustra says he won't announce until later in the summer, there seems little doubt he'll make the race. He's been to Washington to meet with national GOP officials, and he's receiving strong backing from top state Republicans, most notably the governor. As a veteran state legislator before being tapped as Edgar's 1990 running mate, Kustra compiled a moderate voting record that could invite a primary challenge from the right.

At least two Republican conservatives — Chicago attorney Rich Williamson and state Rep. Al Salvi of Wauconda — are considering the race. But neither would seem to pose a formidable threat to Kustra. Williamson ran a dismal campaign against Moseley-Braun in 1992, while Salvi is in just his second House term. Moreover, statewide GOP candidates seem to do better running as centrists than as right-wing ideologues, reflecting the state's long tradition of favoring middle-of-the-road politics.

If you're handicapping the March primary, put your money on the Democrats to provide the most fireworks for the Senate nomination. And mark Kustra as the most likely beneficiary of the fray. *

Charles N. Wheeler III is director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at the University of Illinois at Springfield.