Will Dold or Seals be next congressman from 10th District?
Their race for Illinois' 10th Congressional District seat has been one of the hottest on the ballot, and Republican Robert Dold and Democrat Dan Seals have spent several weeks and millions of dollars showing voters how different they are from each other.
In debates, TV commercials and interviews, Dold and Seals separated themselves on issues such as abortion, health care reform, gay marriage and illegal immigration.
But their positions on many other issues were similar. Both men support stem-cell research, for example, and both support limits on gun ownership, including closing a loophole that allows people to buy firearms at gun shows without background checks.
Dold, of Kenilworth, and Seals, of Wilmette, are battling for a two-year seat now held by Republican Mark Kirk of Highland Park. Kirk is leaving the House to run for the U.S. Senate, and his political fate will be decided today as well.
The 10th District, which includes parts of Cook and Lake counties, leans Democratic in other political matchups but sent Kirk to Congress five times.
Although their political similarities were evident during the campaign, Dold and Seals stressed their differences on the trail.
Abortion was a particularly hard-fought issue. Dold said he's pro-choice but admitted he opposes late-term abortion and public funding for abortion and favors parental notification for minors.
In person and in campaign ads, Seals jumped on those exceptions, as well as support Dold received from an anti-abortion group. As far as his own stance on the issue, Seals has said he's pro-choice and has been endorsed by pro-choice groups.
Dold took some verbal whacks at Seals on some issues, too. In an interview with the Daily Herald, Dold said Seals “is in favor of larger taxes” because of his stances on health care and proposed energy legislation. Seals denied the charge, saying he supports an energy plan that would make companies financially accountable for their pollution.
As for health care, Seals said the plan approved this year isn't perfect “but makes some positive steps forward.” He said he would have voted for it.
Dold opposed the health care plan but admitted there are elements he supports, such as one section covering pre-existing conditions and another allowing children to stay on their parents' insurance longer.