Endorsement claim raises issue in 10th District

The Democratic candidate for the 10th Congressional District seat has been called out for using an old endorsement.

Dan Seals was misleading voters by including a portion of a Daily Herald endorsement as part of a rotating gallery of information on his campaign home page, according to a blogger who follows the action in the 10th.

The endorsement came during the Democratic primary, as Seals dueled two other candidates. He edged state Rep. Julie Hamos for the nomination to face Republican Bob Dold in the November general election. The seat is currently held by Republican Mark Kirk, who is running for U.S. Senate.

"It doesn't apply today," said Larry Falbe, a Mettawa trustee and creator of Team America's 10th District blog.

"This isn't buried somewhere on an endorsement list. It's front and center," added Falbe, a Kirk supporter and volunteer for Dold who has been critical of Seals in the past.

Seals, a business consultant from Wilmette, has lost twice to Kirk and is making a third run at the seat. Dold, a Kenilworth resident and president of a pest control company, emerged as the nominee from among five Republican candidates in his first run for elected office.

Falbe contended the use of the snippet implied current support for Seals well before newspaper endorsements for the November general election are made.

Seals spokesman David Mason dismissed the criticism.

"It was nothing more than an oversight," he said Thursday afternoon.

Mason, who joined the campaign after the primary, said the item apparently was posted during that time and never updated. He said he removed it.

"We're about to do a complete website revamp in a couple of weeks," he said.

Dold spokeswoman Kelly Klopp deferred comment on the blog, saying the focus this week during the "Let's Get to Work!" bus tour campaign kickoff has been on introducing the candidate and his message to 10th District voters.

"It's all about jobs," she said. Dold also advocates proposals to grow small business.

Seals' summer campaign began last weekend with a well-attended volunteer event, Mason said.

"We're focusing on job creation and reducing the deficit," he said.

The 10th District covers eastern Lake County and northern Cook County and includes much of the North Shore and many North and Northwest suburbs.