Serious debate on weighty issues is not uncommon at the state Capitol, but one General Assembly contest on Nov. 7 includes a rare debate over serious weight.
The race between Rep. Mike Smith and challenger Daryl Dagit is also one of a dwindling number of competitive legislative races around the Chicago area and Downstate.
Smith, a Canton Democrat whose weight has reached more than 300 pounds since his freshman legislative year in 1995, pledged to slim down at a news conference.
But Smith objected when his Republican opponent launched a television ad that compared a photo of a younger, slimmer Smith with a contemporary photo and announced that Springfield has “changed” Smith.
Dagit denied any tasteless intentions, saying the comment was aimed at other issues raised in the ad.
“If I was going to do something about weight, I would have done a full-body photo” of Smith, said Dagit of Pekin.
Dagit replaced the ad’s slimmer Smith with a photo of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Democrat that GOP candidates love to hate, when one of the governor’s fundraisers was indicted.
Blagojevich is being used against Democrats in several races, particularly Downstate, where Republican legislative candidates often use anti-Chicago rhetoric against Democrats. Blagojevich is so unpopular in Springfield that Halloween season fliers slipped under the windshield wipers of cars parked outside the Capitol featured black-and-orange pictures of Frankenstein’s monster and the governor with a question: “Who’s more scary than the boogeyman? Rod Blagojevich.”
Even some Democrats see Blagojevich as an election liability, but they expect to stay in charge of both houses.
Democratic Senate President Emil Jones of Chicago, whose caucus already holds a 32-27 majority, is trying to pick up several seats against Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville). House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago hopes to at least hold onto his 65-53 Democratic edge over House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego).
In the Senate, appointed incumbent Sen. Cheryl Axley (R-Mt. Prospect), faces a strong challenge from Park Ridge Democrat Dan Kotowski, a longtime anti-gun activist.
Wide-open seats have created other battlegrounds too.
The primary defeat of Sen. Adeline Geo-Karis (R-Zion) means Suzanne Simpson, who beat Geo-Karis, is running against a fellow Grayslake resident, Democrat Michael Bond, an Allstate Insurance executive.
Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, the Elgin Republican who lost his bid for lieutenant governor in the primary, left open a seat that will go to either Republican Billie Diane Roth of Streamwood or Democrat Michael Noland of Elgin.
The decision by Sen. Ed Petka (R-Plainfield) to seek a judgeship resulted in a Senate race between GOP candidate Terri Ann Wintermute of Bolingbrook, a Will County Board member, and Democrat Linda Holmes of Aurora, a Kane County Board member.
The pending retirement of Sen. Wendell Jones (R-Palatine) set up a showdown between Republican Matt Murphy, an attorney and community college official from Palatine, and Democrat Peter Gutzmer, a firefighter from Hoffman Estates.
Hoping to replace Sen. Rick Winkel (R-Champaign), who is stepping down, are Democrat Michael Frerichs of Gifford, former Republican Sen. Judith Myers of Danville and the Social Equality Party’s Joseph Parnarauskis of Westville. Frerichs is under fire for ties to Blagojevich, and Myers is drawing criticism for landing a job under GOP Gov. George Ryan.
And Sen. Deanna Demuzio (D-Carlinville), the widow of popular former Sen. Vince Demuzio, is being tied to Blagojevich in ads by Republican Jeff Richey of Taylorville.
In Rockford, Republican Sen. Dave Syverson is battling Democrat Daniel Lewandowski.
In Peoria, Democrat Dave Koehler is running against former state Fire Marshal Ernie Russell, a Republican.
In the House, Rep. Terry Parke (R-Hoffman Estates) is confronting a last-minute blitz from Democrat Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates.
The contest to replace outgoing Rep. Bob Churchill (R-Lake Villa), features Republican Sandy Cole, a Lake County Board member from Grayslake, against Democrat Sharyn Elman of Gurnee.
Democrats and Republicans have poured millions of dollars into their campaigns in hopes of winning, but only one candidate is measuring his chances by how much he loses.
Mike Smith said he’s down 40 pounds.
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