Endorsement: Roskam for Congress, Dist. 6
In Peter Roskam, voters in the 6th Congressional District know who they have: a knowledgeable, conservative GOP voice with eight years of experience in the U.S. House. Contrast that with his opponent in the Nov. 4 election, Democrat Michael Mason, a retired U.S. postal executive who is a political newcomer.
Both want to grow the U.S. economy, but only one has the potential to make a significant impact in the next two years and that's Roskam, He earns our endorsement.
As a member of the powerful House Ways and Means committee, Roskam, 53, of Wheaton, can help rewrite the tax code which he and Mason both say should be a priority. And now that Roskam is no longer in the House leadership as chief minority whip after a primary election shake-up, he is also sounding a bit less partisan. "We need to reject an all-or-nothing approach," Roskam told us, adding that he is optimistic about Congress' ability to work together across the aisle. That's a shift in his approach we can support and one that we hope comes to fruition.
While we continue to differ with Roskam on many social issues, we also believe that he is a thoughtful and well-versed legislator who has the capacity to work with Democrats on the larger issues facing Congress. He points to a bipartisan bill to combat Medicare fraud as one example. His support of President Obama's strategy to contain ISIS is another.
We like Mason, 61, who has stepped up in his retirement years because he believes the middle class needs more opportunities and better-paying jobs. He decries the "polarization" and "dysfunction" in Congress and said he would work to improve it. We're not convinced he could make a difference, however, and therefore we urge him to find other ways to hone his ideas and political experience.