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Endorsement: Keicher in the 70th House District

In contrast to many suburban legislative races where candidates find little common ground, the contest between incumbent Republican Jeff Keicher of Sycamore and Democratic challenger Paul Stoddard of DeKalb takes on the tone of a cracker barrel discussion.

And, these two candidates squared off two years ago. Keicher is an insurance salesman who won his first seat then, after being appointed to fill a vacancy months earlier. Stoddard, the Democrat, is a retired geology professor at Northern Illinois University. He's been on the DeKalb County Board for 12 years.

Keicher has done a fine job in a limited amount of time in helping to attract business to the district, including working on an incentive that is bringing an $800 million data farm to DeKalb.

He also was the chief sponsor in the House of a bill that was brought by a Senate Democrat that expands diagnostic screening for mammograms.

Stoddard has some interesting ideas, not the least of which is spreading the leadership of committees in the House so the percentage of committee chairman slots reflects the percentage of seats held by a party to ensure less one-party domination in Springfield and foster an atmosphere of cooperation.

It's something he said has worked on the DeKalb County Board, but we just don't see a groundswell by his party for that sort of power share in Springfield.

Keicher is endorsed.

The 70th House District includes swathes of DeKalb and Boone counties and the western edge of Kane County (including portions of the Hampshire, Elburn, Campton Hills and Sugar Grove) as well as Sycamore, DeKalb and the campus of Northern Illinois University.

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