ALL OF Illinois' 24 incumbent congressmen are seeking reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives in November. Of these candidates, just two are running without opposition for the 24 seats. Only one contender is elected from each of the 24Congressional districts in Illinois. The number of districts is determined according to the apportionment provision in the U.S. constitution which results in allocating Illinois one congressman for each 460,000 population.
Most political observers feet that the majority of the incumbents will be reelected at this year's general election. They attribute this projection to the consistent seniority enjoyed by both U.S. senators and representatives. One possible exception to the trend, however, could occur in the 15th District race between incumbent Democrat Tim Hall and Republican challenger Tom Corcoran.
The district was considered an automatic GOP victory during the 40 plus-year tenure of former Congressman Leslie C. Arends, and few persons expected any change in party representation after Arends announced his retirement in 1973. The Democrats, however, managed to upset Republican " sure winner " Cliffard Carlson, a Geneva industrialist and the party's national committeeman for Illinois, in 1974. There is mounting skepticism, though, that Halt will be able to survive the Republican challenge again this year. Two other races which could be interestingly close, if not politically up-setting, are the contests between Martin Russo (D.) and challenger Ronald Buikema(R.) in the 3rd District, and Abner J. Mikva (D.) and challenger Samuel H. Young (R..) in the 10th District.
Illinois Issues mailed questionnaires to the winners of the party primaries for Congressional seats to be filled at the November election.
A list of these candidates follows with brief biographical information. Candidates were also invited to answer a general question on what they would do to all aviate some of the fiscal problems facing government leaders. An analysis of the candidate responses is below.
Illinois Issues will conclude its 1976 pre-election coverage with an analysis of candidates who are seeking state wide executive offices in the November magazine. Candidates running for House, Senate and judicial seats were featured in previousissues./ B.J.V.ž
22 / October 1976 / Illinois Issues