Six Republicans vying to challenge Bean

Since winning a seat in Congress in 2004, Barrington Democrat Melissa Bean has taken heat from some Democrats who claim she's not liberal enough and Republicans for being, well, a Democrat.

Even so, voters in Illinois' 8th District liked Bean, who's painted herself as a moderate legislator, well enough to send her back to Congress in 2006 and 2008.

On Tuesday, voters will decide which of six Republicans will face Bean in the November general election.

None are as well-funded as Bean, and none have her political pull. But they all hope the voter sentiment that has seen Republicans win prominent seats in recent months will sweep them into office.

The GOP candidates are: Dirk Beveridge of Barrington, John Dawson of Barrington, Chris Geissler of Barrington, Greg Jacobs of Mundelein, Maria Rodriguez of Long Grove and Joe Walsh of Winnetka.

Beveridge, 48, gained attention as the co-founder and president of We Do Care, an organization that supports military troops, veterans and their families.

Dawson, 52, is one of two of the GOP candidates with prior elected experience. He is a former teacher and former member of the Crystal Lake High School District 155 school board.

Geissler, 37, is a manager at a consulting firm. This is his first bid for public office.

Jacobs, 58, is a retired Cook County sheriff's deputy and a Vietnam War veteran. He's also running for political office for the first time.

Rodriguez, 50, has been Long Grove's mayor since 2005 and previously had served as village clerk and trustee.

Walsh, 47, works in private equity funding. He unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1996 and the state House in 1998.

The race has been a relatively quiet and polite affair, especially when compared to the high-profile Democratic and Republican races in the neighboring 10th District.

Little mud has been thrown between the candidates. Geissler has taken mild swipes at Walsh and Rodriguez for living outside the district boundaries, while Walsh has taken additional criticism from Beveridge and Geissler for changing his positions on abortion and gun control since he last ran for Congress in 1996.

Rodriguez has taken some flak for changing her stance on the long-proposed extension of Route 53. After opposing the highway plan for years, she now says she would back a smaller-scale extension.

She was also criticized for saying she's the GOP's best chance to beat Bean, in part because she's a woman.

Jacobs, Dawson and Geissler haven't been targeted by the other candidates.

The candidates' stances on key political issues generally have been similar. For example:

• All oppose abortion, but to varying degrees.

• All oppose the health care reform plans being debated in Congress.

• All are critical of the federal stimulus program and question its effectiveness.

• All oppose gun-control legislation, and oppose municipal handgun bans such as the one in Chicago, and support concealed carry laws.

The 8th District includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.

Bean is the only name on the Democratic ballot; Jonathan Farnick of Woodstock is running as a write-in candidate.

Bean hasn't publicly acknowledged the Republicans are after her job. She's declined to talk to the Daily Herald about issues or comments the GOP candidates have made during their campaigns.

She employed a similar strategy two years ago when she was challenged by Republican Steve Greenberg of Long Grove. Bean soundly defeated Greenberg, who was underfunded and didn't have much official party support despite some early promotion.

Also on the ballot on Tuesday is Green Party candidate Bill Scheurer of Lindenhurst, who will move on to the November ballot.