Q&A with U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam won a fiercely contested and expensive battle in 2006 to retain Republican control of Henry Hyde's old 6th District seat.

Now finishing off his first term, Roskam is gearing up for an equally tough battle to keep his post.

The Wheaton Republican's challenger is Democrat Jill Morgenthaler of Des Plaines, an Iraq war veteran.

The following is an edited transcript of a recent Daily Herald interview with Roskam.

Why are Democrats making gains in the suburbs? What is wrong with the Republican message to suburbanites?

If you look at it one way, they are campaigning harder. And I think there is a lot more ticket splitting now. People are not beholden to one party. They are a lot more independent minded. I think it really comes down to the candidates and their local connections.

Just a few years ago, you were a key Republican debater in the Illinois Senate and you often verbally jousted with Obama over his proposals. What do you think of his rapid rise from the state Senate floor to the national stage?

I think everyone comes away with the feeling he overcame a significant obstacle in defeating Sen. Clinton for the nomination. But I think the real challenge is ahead of him now. His challenge is largely one of expectations. I think he has created very high expectations. He is widely known, but not deeply known. That compared with going up against someone like Sen. McCain, who is both widely and deeply known, is going to be very challenging for him.

Is there anything McCain can do to win Illinois?

I don't think it is realistic to think Sen. McCain would win Illinois any more than Sen. Obama would win Arizona. You can pretty much count on your home state.

Who do you see as the future leaders for Illinois Republicans? Who can win statewide races?

If you go through the Senate Republican ranks, there is an unbelievable amount of talent there. When folks talk about a statewide bench, there is amazing talent in the Illinois Senate - bright people, principled, hard working and articulate. They have not had the level of exposure, but this year, you are going to see some of those folks emerge in the future. They are all rock stars.

Would you care to name a few?

No. If I do, I might leave someone out and they would get made at me.

Your suburban colleague state Sen. Kirk Dillard has expressed a desire for a promotion?

I like Kirk at lot. He has a great deal of experience.

How can the Republican party in Illinois overcome its internal divide between social conservatives and social moderates?

While the Republicans have had bumps in the road, the Democrats are downright fratricidal. It is very dark in those relationships. We are poised to make good progress.

Which is worse, the legislative gridlock in Springfield or the jam on the Hill?

My predecessor, Henry Hyde, had a saying, 'There is one thing worse than gridlock. That is the greased chute of government.' It is my hope Speaker Pelosi will allow a vote on American energy. It is unacceptable that we don't act. But it is a little tough to characterize one as worse than the another. The public has a right to expect a lot more from both.