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Top Republican Senator says Kirk's re-election 'top priority'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday that Senator Mark Kirk's re-election was a top priority for Republicans across the nation.

McConnell spoke at the Westin Hotel in Wheeling where he was helping Kirk raise funds for his race against his likely opponent, Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates.

"Mark Kirk's re-election is a top priority or I wouldn't be here on a Sunday afternoon," McConnell said. "It's important to us, it's important to the country and it's important to the people of Illinois."

The race has been called one of the top campaigns in the country.

Kirk, a Highland Park Republican, is serving in his first term in the Senate after five terms in the House from the north suburban 10th Congressional District. His likely opponent is serving her second term in Congress for the northwest suburban 8th District.

McConnell, who has represented Kentucky in the Senate since 1985, said Republicans around the country will assist Kirk in his re-election bid.

"We fully expect him to be re-elected and he will get help from all kinds of Republican sources and other sources across the country," McConnell said.

Kirk received national attention in recent weeks for his vocal stance pushing for tougher sanctions against Iran, aimed at curtailing their nuclear program, efforts that McConnell applauded Sunday.

"He's really been the leader in the Senate on the whole Iran nuclear issue," McConnell said.

Kirk won his Senate seat in 2010 when he beat former Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a Chicago Democrat.

Kirk said Sunday that when he ran in 2010, people said he'd never win because "Democrats own Illinois."

"With the election of Gov. Rauner, it's clear that the Democrats do not own Illinois," Kirk said.

He said although the state has changed since he was first elected, he has not.

"I will still be the thoughtful independent, the moderate guy that I've always been, someone who has a record to run on to make sure we have been the ones to call Iran the way it is so we never have to witness a nuclear war in the Middle East."

Currently, there are 54 Republican senators in Washington D.C. compared to 44 Democrats and 2 Independents.

Several suburban political leaders attended Kirk's fundraiser, including Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas W. Hayes, Buffalo Grove Village President Beverly Sussman, Lincolnshire Mayor Elizabeth Brandt and Wheeling Village President Dean Argiris.

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