Endorsements: Roskam for re-election to Congress, Dist. 6
For 10 years, Peter Roskam has been a stalwart conservative of the Republican Party in the U.S. House. And his constituents have given him a vote of confidence every two years, letting him know they approve of how he's gone about his job.
While we don't always agree with the 54-year-old Wheaton resident - he remains too far to the right on most social issues, for example - we do appreciate his strong knowledge of the issues and his work ethic on Capitol Hill.
He says he's ready to work across the aisle, regardless of who wins the presidency. He's worked on Medicare fraud and received bipartisan support, so that's a good sign.
He's more hopeful than ever that some reform may be in the offing on the tax code, an issue he has been championing for years - again with a bipartisan effort. As a member of the House Ways and Means committee, he has the platform to perhaps get something done.
On immigration, Roskam is most focused on border security - we'd prefer a more comprehensive solution - but he is knowledgeable enough and practical enough to know that a wall - such as the one proposed by Donald Trump is not the answer.
Roskam's Democratic opponent, College of Lake County Trustee Amanda Howland, is critical of Roskam for not participating in any forums or debates with her. We agree that he should be more accessible and willing to defend his record in that manner. And while we like Howland, a change is not warranted in this district, which stretches from Naperville to Gurnee.