Rodriguez says opponent misrepresented her Rt. 53 stand

Suburban congressional candidate Maria Rodriguez on Thursday accused a political foe of misrepresenting her stance on the long-proposed northward extension of Route 53.

Rodriguez, one of six Republicans running for the 8th District seat, told the Daily Herald in December she believes the roadway should be extended into Lake County.

In an e-mail sent to followers and the media on Wednesday, however, fellow Republican candidate Joe Walsh said Rodriguez "is against creating jobs in the 8th district by opposing the extension of (Route) 53."

That didn't sit well with Rodriguez, who's also the village president of Long Grove.

"This is just another case of Joe Walsh playing fast and loose with the facts," she said. "I am opposed to a six-lane highway that will take 14 years (to build), but I am in favor of a north-south road that will ease traffic congestion, and I've been saying that for two years."

In that December Daily Herald article, Rodriguez - a well-known opponent of the highway plan that's been on the books for decades - softened her stance and said she'd support the construction of an arterial highway with limited access, similar to Palatine Road in Cook County.

"Does it make sense to do a north-south version of Palatine Road?" Rodriguez said at the time. "Yes, I would go for that."

Walsh defended his e-mail, saying the line referred to Rodriguez's lack of support for "the full-blown extension of Rotue 53."

"She's still opposed to a six-lane highway or tollway, which is really what people are talking about," said Walsh, of Winnetka.

The concept Rodriguez favors isn't on the table, he said.

"When it comes to extending Route 53, that's not what people have in mind," Walsh said. "I'd love to see her (support) a full-throttle extension of Route 53, not a modification of that."

In addition to Rodriguez and Walsh, the candidates seeking the GOP nomination for the 8th District seat are: Dirk Beveridge of Barrington, John Dawson of Barrington, Chris Geissler of Barrington and Greg Jacobs of Mundelein.

Three-term incumbent Melissa Bean of Barrington is seeking re-election and will be the only Democrat on the Feb. 2 primary ballot. Green Party candidate Bill Scheurer of Lindenhurst is running, too.