WHEATON - DuPage County's 6th Congressional District is one that for years was the powerhouse of the Illinois Republican Party. DuPage County was run by Republicans. The state districts were represented by Republicans. DuPage Republicans Pate Philip and Lee Daniels led the Illinois Senate and House - Philip for years, and Daniels was Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1996 - the only break in Madigan's decades long Democrat reign.
But things have changed dramatically.
DuPage County has numerous Democrats on the county board. The Blue Wave swept in several Democrats to strengthen Mike Madigan and John Cullerton's Democrat control of the state legislature. The two Democrats elected in the 14th and 6th CDs helped Nancy Pelosi gain the Democrat majority and become Speaker of the House - a position once held by Illinois now-disgraced Denny Hastert.
Former Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti first announced her decision to run for the 6th CD GOP nomination. Then former GOP State Rep. Jeanne Ives announced she would enter the race as well. Now a third candidate - Dr. Jay Kinzler - has announced that he's going to run once again for the chance to be the Republican candidate to challenge freshman Democrat Sean Casten. Kinzler challenged Roskam four years ago in the 2016 GOP primary, and lost.
Illinois Review had asked a week or so ago for a short interview with Dr. Kinzler. Wednesday, he called as he was leaving Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, having performed two transplants, he said.
We recorded the call with his permission, and here are his responses:
IR: Why did you decide to get into the 6th CD race? His answer explains his concerns about the urgency he sees to win back the country from those that want our nation to be socialist - like Sean Casten.
IR: How does Kinzler see himself as different from Ives and Sanguinetti? He says he's running on a three-pronged platform concerns about 1. health care, 2. open borders and 3. government corruption.
IR: What are his chances of winning the GOP nomination? He says pretty good ...
IR: Is it true that he believes the two women in the 6th CD primary campaign will destroy each other, allowing him to escape the damage they do to each other?
More to come about the 6th CD race as the primary progresses ...
