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Endorsement: Dold over Schneider in 10th Congressional District

Illinois' 10th Congressional District is part of the national spotlight in this year's election campaigns. Currently held by a Democrat, it's a seat that could flip Republican, and as a result, both parties are focused on it and its connection to the balance of power in Washington.

This is nothing new for the 10th District. It's been a hotly contested battleground for years, and until it was remapped into a marginally Democratic district two years ago, it had been held historically by centrist Republicans who had to exhibit independence if they were to cling to their seats.

Truth be told, we like both of the candidates in this race — incumbent Democrat Brad Schneider of Deerfield and Republican Robert J. Dold of Kenilworth, who held the office for one term before losing to Schneider two years ago. They're both thoughtful. They both represent suburban values. We think each is a better candidate today than he was two years ago.

But the reality is this: When Dold held the office, he maintained the district's tradition of independent representation, with a voting record that was one of the most bipartisan in Congress. In the two years that Schneider has held office, he has not. His voting record is considerably more party line, as a comparative review of The Washington Post's Congress Votes Database indicates. And unlike Rep. Tammy Duckworth, also a first-term Democrat in a neighboring district, he has not sought to forge the across-the-aisle relationships that can make him truly effective, particularly given his party's minority status in the House.

Voters have a difficult choice between two capable candidates, but only one of these two candidates carries on the dynamic independent tradition of Mark Kirk and John Porter. That candidate is former Rep. Bob Dold, and we give him our endorsement.

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