Winnetka businessman enters 10th District race

Winnetka businessman Dick Green on Thursday joined what is becoming a crowded field for the 10th Congressional District seat being vacated by longtime Republican incumbent Mark Kirk.

Green is running for the Republican nomination as an economic expert in a race that is expected to gain national party attention. He founded Briefing.com, which provides analysis of the economic and financial markets.

"Unemployment is rising and out of control government spending is creating a massive debt burden for future generations and to help solve these problems, our country needs new faces and new ideas in Washington," he said in a statement. "We need people with real-world experience and a firm understanding of economic principles."

Green said many elected officials have no business experience, while he has spent his career building businesses and creating jobs.

The Harvard-trained economist founded Briefing.com in 1993. He is an Evanston native who lived in California before returning to Illinois in 2000.

He said career politicians should be replaced with people who will work to revive the economy and bring "good, long-term jobs" to the 10th District.

On his campaign Web site, Green says he wants to get the government off the backs of small business owners and is not looking to give them "special perks or taxpayer welfare."

Green joins state Rep. Elizabeth Coulson of Glenview, and Patricia Bird, a business owner and political researcher from Mount Prospect, as announced Republican candidates.

On the Democratic ticket, Wilmette business executive Dan Seals is making his third consecutive run for the seat. State Rep. Julie Hamos of Evanston and Elliott Richardson of Highland Park also have announced.

Democrats are expected to push hard to snare the seat and improve their majority in the U.S. House in what has been a multimillion dollar race.

Last November, Kirk was elected to a fifth term in Congress. He is running for the U.S. Senate.