Race heating up between Gentes, Duffy for state senate

Republican Dan Duffy and Democratic Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes are expected to receive plenty of assistance - financial and otherwise - in the final weeks of a spirited campaign for a vacant state senate seat.

Duffy and Gentes are competing for the state Senate District 26 seat being vacated by retiring veteran Republican William Peterson of Long Grove. The 26th District stretches from Libertyville Township in Lake County west to Nunda, McHenry and Dorr townships in McHenry County, and part of Palatine Township in Cook County.

Gentes had $13,871 in available funds as of June 30, according to state campaign disclosure documents.

However, said state Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan, leader of Lake County's Democrats, Gentes will have "six figures" to spend to defeat Duffy. Gentes said he expects some of the cash from a Democratic campaign committee to pay for cable television advertising in the final two weeks before the Nov. 4 election.

Link said a state Democratic Party staffer already has been assigned to help Gentes, 49.

"He's a viable candidate and it's a winnable race," Link said of Gentes. "We don't get into these races to lose."

Duffy, 42, of unincorporated Lake Barrington, had $135,422 in available campaign funds as of June 30, according to the most recently available documents. The Illinois Republican State Senate Campaign Committee has been paying for Duffy's cable ads.

Ryan Cudney, executive director of the committee helping Duffy, said the early TV spots were necessary to introduce the first-time political candidate to voters in state Senate District 26.

"It's an absolutely important race for us in Illinois," Cudney said. "This is the only open seat that is being contested in the suburbs."

In the regional commercial appearing on various networks carried over Comcast Cable, Duffy tries to link Gentes to Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Gentes and Blagojevich are labeled as "two peas in a pod" in the spots.

"Gentes agrees with Blagojevich, supporting his job-killing tax hikes," says the announcer in Duffy's spot. "We need a new approach in Springfield."

But Gentes said the Duffy ad isn't accurate. He's come out publicly against increasing sales or income taxes in Illinois.

"Kind of silly," Gentes said of how he's portrayed by Duffy. "I've never even met the governor and I don't think he's a good governor. It's the typical Republican talking points."

Duffy said he stands by the ad. He touts a desire to reduce the state gasoline sales tax and his small-business experience in the commercial.