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Endorsement: Dargis for 8th U.S. House in Republican primary

Five candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. representative from the 8th Congressional District, a seat now held by Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg.

Of the five, two do not strike us as serious candidates. In cavalier terms, both Chad Koppie of Gilberts and Karen Kolodziej of Itasca engage in the Big Lie fantasy that Joe Biden somehow stole the 2020 presidential election through some sort of extravagant conspiracy that more than two years later still has generated no evidence. It would be a shame for the party, the district and the country if either of them were nominated.

That leaves three credible candidates - Chris Dargis of Palatine, Barrington Township Committeeman Peter Kopsaftis of South Barrington and pastor Phil Wood of Carol Stream. A reasonable argument could be made on behalf of any of their campaigns.

We like Dargis. He's a retired Navy officer and levelheaded conservative who was bright and hardworking enough even as a teenager growing up in Schaumburg to be invited to join the inaugural class of the Illinois Math and Science Academy.

Whoever emerges from the June 28 primary will have an uphill challenge in the general election, even with the political winds favoring Republicans nationally this year. The 8th is viewed nationally as a safe Democratic seat and Kirshnamoorthi, assuming he wins his primary, would have the advantage of a huge campaign fund.

But if someone in this Republican field would be capable of giving Krishnamoorthi or any Democrat a run, it would be Dargis.

He not only speaks eloquently in emphasizing the traditional Republican approach to inflation, taxes, crime and immigration, but he has some financial support behind his candidacy too.

Given the district math, it may be a stretch to predict Dargis could win in November, but at the least, his candidacy could not be ignored.

Kopsaftis is a solid candidate and a committed lifelong Republican, but his politics do not match Dargis for polish.

Wood seems to be building his campaign around the surge in immigration. He's pleasant, but his arguments on the issues tend to be dogmatic and less apt to attract independent voters.

Our endorsement goes to Dargis.

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