Green Party joins fall election fray

If you thought November's 14th District congressional race was between Democratic Congressman Bill Foster and Republican Jim Oberweis, think again.

The Illinois Green Party has slated candidates in 34 state and national races, including six in the Fox Valley area.

Among those candidates is Robert Hill of DeKalb, who has thrown his hat into the ring against Foster and Oberweis.

Hill could not be reached for comment. But Green Party spokesman (and candidate himself, in the 55th District for the Illinois House) Dan Kairis, of South Elgin, said the candidates all share a core set of values, ones he believes run counter to those of the two major parties.

"We pledge not to accept any corporate donations," Kairis said. "I think that's the big difference. We won't owe alliance or allegiance to special interests."

Kairis said the party would like to see term limits and a recall amendment for state offices.

The Green Party has slated candidates in five Illinois House races. In the 50th District, Sandra Lezon of Plano will face Republican Kay Hatcher and Democrat Mary Schneider. Rep. Patricia Reid Lindner, R-Sugar Grove, has decided to retire.

In the 55th, Kairis will battle Republican Rep. Randy Ramey and Democrat Broc Montgomery. Kairis is a member of the Illinois Minutemen and has been an outspoken opponent of granting paths to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

In the 96th, Jennifer Witt of Naperville will face off against Republican Darlene Senger and Democrat Dianne McGuire for the seat being vacated by Rep. Joe Dunn, R-Naperville.

And two Republican incumbents with formerly unopposed races -- Rep. Robert Pritchard in the 70th and Rep. Mike Fortner in the 95th -- will now face opponents. James Dusing of Sycamore will battle Pritchard, while Gerard Schmitt of Aurora will face Fortner.

Green party candidate Julie Schmitt is running for the Kane County Board in the 20th District on Elgin's near-east side.

The Green Party did not float candidates for any of these races in 2006.

His campaign is only days old, but Hill has already drawn his first challenge. Kane County Democratic Party Chair Mark Guethle has filed an objection to Hill's petitions with the State Board of Elections.

Guethle charges that the Green Party did not properly meet and nominate its candidates for Congress, as laid out in state law.

According to Hill's attorney, Scott Summers, Illinois law gives parties 30 days after a primary election to set up party committees, and 30 days after that for those committees to name candidates to fill vacancies. All the rules were followed, he said.

"It's devoid of details," Summers said. "Everyone has a right to due process, but this is not substantial enough to merit a whole lot of time from the state board."

Summers is a Green Party candidate himself, in the 16th Congressional District.

Political adviser David From, speaking for the Oberweis campaign, said he is not concerned by Hill's candidacy.

"Anybody who is going to talk about the issues and liven up the debate will be a plus for the district," he said.

And Ryan Rudominer of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said voters would choose Foster again for his record as a congressman.