House District 96 hopefuls ready for November

Both Dianne McGuire and Darlene Senger have their sights set on winning a seat in Springfield this fall to replace retiring Naperville Rep. Joe Dunn in House District 96.

Senger is fresh off a "civil" but contested Republican primary race with Aurora insurance broker Michael Bowler. McGuire, a Democrat, earned a pass to November's general election by running uncontested in her party's primary.

Despite taking different paths to get there and differing on which side of the aisle they'll sit, both agree on several priorities that need to be addressed in the district that covers large portions of western Naperville, eastern Aurora and a small part of Warrenville.

Both say they would push for passage of a capital spending bill, the first since 1999, so communities across the state and specifically their district can have roads built, bridges repaired and potholes filled.

"The more I evaluate it, the higher our transportation and infrastructure needs rise to the top of the list," McGuire said. "We've seen our population quadruple in the past 40 years, but our infrastructure hasn't risen to that level."

The most immediate need facing the area, Senger said, is completion of the STAR Line project despite Canadian National Railway's proposed purchase of the EJ&E. Metra's first suburb-to-suburb line is supposed to run down the Northwest Tollway, I-90, to Elgin and then turn south to Joliet via the EJ&E tracks.

"All of our gridlock and congestion is north and south and the STAR Line will be a major load off that congestion," Senger said. "We'll be fighting for capital dollars with the rest of the state, but we need to address the gridlock we have here.

"Our residents' quality of life is being diminished as they sit in their cars."

Opening transportation lanes, Senger said, will tie directly to her second priority of keeping the local economy strong.

The state will have to continue pushing the federal government to fund labs such as Argonne and Fermi and make it easier for larger corporations to move their headquarters into areas like Naperville, Aurora and Warrenville.

"One of the best assets here is our work force and we need to keep them employed, not underemployed," she said. "But you're not going to land those jobs unless you have ways for the workers to commerce and commute."

McGuire agrees the economy needs help but she believes it can be done by helping and promoting a more comparable mix of major corporations and smaller local businesses.

A small business owner herself, she believes she can promote the benefits of welcoming and encouraging them within the district. In 1996, she and her husband opened The Guilty Party, Ltd., which specializes in catered parties and corporate functions.

Despite their similarities, the commonalties end when the women discuss the future successes of their respective parties.

McGuire said she has researched ballots pulled in DuPage in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and discovered an "increasingly Democratic trend throughout the county."

"Republicans will tell you now that they pulled Democratic ballots this year to vote against (presidential candidate) Barack Obama," McGuire said. "But there was no Hillary Clinton factor in 2002 or any of those years."

Senger, however, maintains DuPage remains a "Republican stronghold" and "there was some Obama factor being played on Tuesday."

She plans to use the stronghold, as well as the experience she gained during her contested primary, to take the seat.

The primary process, she said, helped her gain name recognition, support from major sponsors and an early start getting her signs made.

"I've already worn out the shoe leather and Dianne hasn't gotten that far yet," she said. "Going down the home stretch, some of the strengths I had in the primary are going to be the strengths I have in November."

McGuire insists she's been preparing for the race since August and welcomes the challenge.

"I'm ready to have that spirited discussion and discourse," she said. "We'll leave it up to the voters to decide who will be most effective person to get the job done."