Endorsement: Hirschauer for 49th state House district

First elected to the Illinois House two years ago, Democrat Maura Hirschauer has made an impressive transition from passionate gun control activist to experienced lawmaker without losing her fire for the issues that mean the most to her.

She is a chief sponsor of the proposed ban on assault weapons in Illinois, and she sponsored successful legislation that requires the Department of Public Health to develop and implement a statewide secure gun storage public awareness campaign designed to promote safety. The latter is one of many bills the Batavia lawmaker has sponsored in her freshman term.

Hirschauer, a former teacher, faces a Nov. 8 election challenge in the 49th District from Bartlett Mayor Kevin Wallace, a financial adviser who wants to see ethics reform and changes in Illinois' budgeting practices. We share his concerns on these matters, and we like Wallace -- and the accessibility he has shown as mayor. But we side more with Hirschauer's philosophy on the need to address assault weapons and her approach to climate change, where she sees herself as a "bridge" between constituents' concerns about higher energy costs and the need to protect the future of our planet.

Hirschauer is endorsed for a second term serving the 49th, which now takes in parts of Aurora, Bartlett, Batavia, Elgin, Geneva, Hanover Park, Naperville, South Elgin, Streamwood, Warrenville, Wayne and West Chicago.