Daily Herald Rejects Roskam, Endorses Duckworth

From your Daily Herald:

On issues, the two have staked out clear platforms. Roskam is a conservative Republican on social issues and backs many of the policies of the Bush administration, most notably on the war in Iraq. He does differ from Bush on immigration and the No Child Left Behind education program. Duckworth is a moderate Democrat on social issues and has clear disagreement with the administration on the war. She believes our troops can start to come home if the administration puts money and its efforts in training Iraqi troops to handle their own security. She seeks accountability on the war from the administration to Congress on a regular basis.

We are closer to agreement with Duckworth than with Roskam on the war and several other key issues. She is in favor of the Senate immigration bill that charts a clear pathway to citizenship rather than the House bill Roskam supports that unilaterally and we believe unrealistically would try to send all undocumented immigrants back home.

Roskam is opposed to reinstating the federal assault weapons ban — a stance that puts him at odds even with the conservative Hyde — while Duckworth backs the ban, which expired in 2004. Roskam supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Duckworth sees the folly in amending the constitution for that issue. Duckworth supports embryonic stem cell research; Roskam is opposed.

The Herald endorsement makes it clear: Peter Roskam's brand of authoritarian, fundamentalist hyper-conservatism is out of touch with the families of the 6th District.