Endorsement: Oberweis in Republican primary for U.S. Senate

It's worthy of both note and commendation that neither of the Republicans seeking to carry the party's banner into an unquestionably uphill battle for U.S. Senate has the aura of being simple cannon fodder. But if powerful incumbent Dick Durbin is to face a meaningful challenge, it will have to come from a candidate with some experience in the field. That candidate on the GOP ticket is Jim Oberweis. It would be inaccurate to suggest that Oberweis has mellowed in the conservative stances he has taken in nearly a decade of pursuing powerful political positions. But he has matured. Drawing on his experience, however brief, in the Illinois Senate and his previous bids for U.S. Senate and Illinois governor, Oberweis continues to press conservative ideals on social issues and federal spending. But at the same time, he conveys a promising willingness to let his ideas play out however they will in the halls of government and to seek points of cooperation that advance government without compromising his core values. Moreover, he's not the least shy about standing his ground when his positions conflict with the status quo in his party - as in his general support for President Obama's foreign policy activities on Iran and Syria. His opponent, Doug Truax, an independent businessman and U.S. Army veteran, has firm, well-developed positions on key issues facing the federal government and, with the exception of his ideas on the Middle East which differ nearly to the point of extremism, he shares most of Oberweis' political positions. But embarking on his first foray into politics, he lacks the political battle scars that can refine his message and offer the promise of a more effective alternative to Durbin. For that role, Oberweis is best suited and he is endorsed.