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Dold faces tough questions at Wheeling town hall meeting

While some of his Republican colleagues were at TeaCon 2011, U.S. Rep. Bob Dold spent Saturday morning in a spirited-debate at a town-hall meeting in Wheeling.

Dold started the meeting by asking for a reasonable and calm conversation, but it didn’t always stay that way as tempers flared and speakers yelled over one another.

“I know a lot of you are frustrated,” Dold said. “I’m frustrated too in regards to Washington.”

Dold, the freshman congressman from Kenilworth elected to Sen. Mark Kirk’s former seat, held the meeting at the Wheeling Park District Rec Center after alerting voters by phone because the event was planned the day before. But the Wheeling Township Democratic Organization asked its members to attend and challenge Dold’s positions, guaranteeing a divided crowd.

Dold spent the first 40 minutes on a presentation about the nation’s debt, the economic crisis and his ideas on how to solve it, including changing the tax code and increasing competition. Dold did vote to raise the debt ceiling but has come out against Obama’s jobs plan.

Speakers in the crowd of more than 60 people said they were concerned about issues such as outsourcing of manufacturing, health care and Social Security reform. Although many in attendance complimented Dold on his reasonable manner, they expressed concern about how some Republicans are exercising their majority in the House.

“You are very smart, logical, reasonable person, but some of the people you hang out with are not,” said Rich Lochman of Vernon Hills. “You are one vote in a sea of negative thinkers who are thinking politically and not about us.”

One woman expressed frustration with the constant stalemate she sees in Congress and asked Dold to move away from his party.

“You are one of the most centrist Republicans out there, and I appreciate that, but you get sucked in,” said Lynne Adam of Arlington Heights. “It’s time you stood on your own and make a stand.”

Others voiced support for Dold and reminded the crowd that he hasn’t even been in office a year.

“We have a Congressman who has said he is willing to work with you, but he can’t fix it all right away,” said Arlen Gould of Arlington Heights. “Let’s give him a chance to make things happen.”

The meeting, which was scheduled to last an hour, was still filled with people after 90 minutes when Dold’s staff began to pack up.

Dold said he didn’t have a problem with the spirited debate.

“We want people to come out here because the 10th District represents all of them. It’s healthy.”