Clean slate presents opportunity in 10th

The dust has cleared in a furious primary election, and with no incumbent in the picture for the first time in a decade, both parties regard the 10th Congressional District seat as ripe for the taking.

Republicans have held the post for 30 years, and newcomer Bob Dold presents a fresh face who is well positioned to succeed Mark Kirk, party leaders say.

"With the political environment turning against Democrats and this district's long-standing support of Republican Congressional candidates, the GOP is in a prime position to defend this seat in November," the National Republican Congressional Committee said in a memo after Tuesday's primary.

On the other hand, Kirk's choice to run for U.S. Senate rather than seek a sixth term in Congress presents an opportunity in the 10th, whose voters are discerning and independent, Democrats say.

While Wilmette business consultant Dan Seals gave Kirk close runs in 2006 and 2008, this race will be unique.

"It is not the third time. It is the first time," said Lauren Beth Gash, a former state representative, who narrowly lost to Kirk in 2000.

She also is a founder of the Tenth Congressional District Democrats, a volunteer group that works to further the party's influence.

"Running against an incumbent is such a different animal," she added. "He (Seals) knows the district very, very well and his volunteers are so dedicated to him."

Though perhaps not as moderate as Kirk, Dold, a Kenilworth resident and president of a pest control company, has the values that will be important to voters in November, observers say.

"He knows what it's like to sign the front of the check, not just the back of the check," said Larry Falbe, a Mettawa trustee and author of the Team America's 10th District blog.

"He's got the right message. He'll be all about lowering taxes and creating jobs."

The NRCC says Democrats squandered opportunities in 2006 and 2008. Seals was described as a "paper tiger" who trailed Barack Obama's vote totals in 2008 and won't have those coattails in November.

"As a Democrat, Seals will still have to defend an unacceptably high unemployment rate, a skyrocketing deficit and an out-of-touch agenda to the voters who've rejected his ideas twice before," said NRCC spokesman Tom Erickson.

In a statement released Wednesday, Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Seals' ability to secure support from Democrats, Republicans and independents "make this district a prime pickup opportunity" for the party in November.

The DCCC Independent Expenditure campaign invested more than $2 million in the 10th District during the last election and is expected to be generous this time as well.

"This is a very different race than it was the previous two cycles," said Gabby Adler, the DCCC's Midwestern regional press secretary.

"Bob Dold is no Mark Kirk and I think that will become very clear as this campaign progresses."

After accepting the Republican nomination Tuesday, Dold acknowledged the road ahead.

"We're going to have to work very hard and that means go, go, go," he said.

At a GOP unity breakfast Wednesday morning, Dold said he expects national support in his bid, calling the 10th District race one of the top five in the country for his party.

Politics and Projects Editor Joseph Ryan contributed to this story.