Schneider unseats Dold, again, in 10th Congressional race

Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider won back the 10th House District seat Tuesday, unseating Republican Bob Dold.

Schneider was leading 147,299 to 133,383 Tuesday night, unofficial vote totals showed. Dold was ahead all night, but Schneider took the lead late thanks to tremendous support from people who voted before Election Day.

"We had an incredibly strong ground game," Schneider told the Daily Herald. "We worked hard to get out voters out."

It was the third showdown for Dold, of Kenilworth, and Schneider, of Deerfield. Schneider unseated Dold in 2012, but Dold won back the post in 2014.

Both candidates tried to portray themselves as centrists willing to work across the aisle on issues including health care, gun control and the economy.

They also blasted each other as being loyalists beholden to the leaders of their respective political parties.

The controversial Iran nuclear deal was a big issue in the campaign. In person and in TV ads, Dold repeatedly slammed Schneider for first opposing the deal and then supporting it.

Schneider said enforcing the law is the only way to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

As he has in previous campaigns, Schneider accused Dold of voting to defund or dismantle the Affordable Care Act, the controversial health care reform law that Schneider and most Democratic lawmakers strongly support. Dold countered by saying he was one of only three Republicans who voted against repealing the law in February 2015.

The 10th District includes parts of Cook and Lake counties. It stretches from Lake Michigan into the North and Northwest suburbs.