By Jenny SongThe Daily Northwestern
Evanston voters will choose the winners of dozens of local races on the ballot in the upcoming general election Tuesday, although many say the gubernatorial and Congressional races are the ones bringing them out to the polls.
Many residents say the Iraq War, corruption and balance of power in federal government are the foremost issues on their minds going into Tuesday’s election.
Some residents said they are hoping these elections will turn the tide in Congress over to the Democrats.
“There’s a need for change in Congress,” said Brent Weiland, an Evanston resident. “We need to get back to the separation of powers idea and stop the grip of one party in power.”
Voters in Evanston, however, won’t be influencing any power shift in Congress. Neither Illinois senator is up for re-election this year, and the district’s incumbent congresswoman, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, is a Democrat. Her Republican challenger, Michael P. Shannon, has acknowledged that he has little chance of unseating her.
Schakowsky was one of 126 Democrats to vote against deploying military forces in Iraq in 2002. More recently, she voted for withdrawing troops from Iraq and demanded an exit strategy from President George W. Bush.
“I felt the war was necessary (at the beginning),” said Joseph Simmons, who lives in downtown Evanston. “As it goes on, I think everybody’s confidence in it lessens.”
Simmons, like many Evanston residents, said he hopes the midterm results will produce a Congress willing to demand a more definitive strategy from the president on fighting terrorism.
“(Iraq) was a huge mistake,” said Joseph Cherian, from central Evanston. “It’s disappointing that it’s taken the country so long to realize that we shouldn’t have re-elected (Bush).”
Others point to the Illinois gubernatorial race as the key contest to watch, although many said they aren’t satisfied with either of the major party candidates. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic incumbent, and Republican challenger Judy Baar Topinka, currently the Illinois State Treasurer, both have been tied to individuals charged in recent corruption scandals.
Each has played up doubts about the other’s honesty in a slew of negative attack ads, and the press has tended to frame the election in terms of who will be less corrupt.
All of the negativity may have deflated enthusiasm for both candidates. Susan Arden, of northeast Evanston, said she will vote for Topinka, not because Topinka is the best choice, but because she is Republican.
“I’m going to go out and do my civic duty but I’m not wildly crazy about either candidate,” Arden said. “I don’t think either is a really great selection. When in doubt, I always vote my party.”
Cherian, however, said he likely will vote for Blagojevich. But he also is disillusioned with how the campaigns have played out.
“It’s been pretty negative on both sides,” Cherian said. “So I’m not enthusiastic about either candidate.”
Reach Jenny Song at [email protected].
