Voters have plenty of choices for senatorial candidates next year

Roland Burris
Not seeking reelection in 2010

Party: Democrat
Political experience: Illinois Comptroller (1979-1991), Illinois Attorney General (1991-1995), Senator (2009–now)
Employment: Vice President of the Continental Illinois National Bank (1964-1973), Administrative Officer – Central Management Services of Illinois (1973-1977), Burris and Lebed Consulting, LLC
“Make no mistake that I love serving in the United States Senate. I love serving the people of Illinois,” Burris said in a press release. “But in making this decision I was called to choose between spending my time raising funds, or spending my time raising issues for my state. I believe that the business of the people of Illinois should always come first.”

Alexi Giannoulias
Party: Democrat
Political Experience: Illinois State Treasurer (2006–Present)
Employment: Vice President/Senior Loan Officer of Broadway Bank
Key Issue: Equal rights
“Everyone is part of the American family, regardless of sexual orientation, and must be treated equally under the law,” according to Giannoulias’ Web site. “As a U.S. Senator, I will do everything I can to protect those rights.”

David Hoffman
Party: Democrat
Political Experience: Assistant U.S. Attorney (1998–2005), Inspector General for the City of Chicago (2005–2009), Appointed by Quinn to the 15–member Illinois Reform Commission (2009)
Employment: Attorney
Key issue: Government transparency
“If he is elected, the public will know what Hoffman is doing throughout the entire day,” said Campaign Spokesman Thom Karmik. “He is the only candidate in the race who is taking no money from lobbyists or pacts, state or federal.”

Cheryle Jackson
Party: Democrat
Political Experience: Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications – Blagojevich Administration (2003–2006), Chicago Urban League President (2006–Present)
Employment: Vice President of Communications – National Public Radio (1996-2003), Vice President of Communications and Governmental Affairs – Amtrak (2000–2003)
Key issue: Economic reform
“She is focused on the roles that small businesses play,” said Spokeswoman Susan Chandler. “As president of the Chicago Urban League, she shifted the focus from providing social services to economic empowerment.”

Jacob Meister
Party: Democrat
Political Experience: Served on staff of both a U.S. House of Representatives member and a Wis. senator
Employment: commercial litigator – Gottlieb and Schwartz; (1991-1993), Schwartz & Freeman (1993-2001), Best & Friedrich, LLC (2001-2002), Law Offices of Jacob J. Meister (2002–now)
Key issue: Economic reform
“The first thing we need to do is stop focusing on short-term fixes and find long term solutions,” said Spokeswoman Karen Craven. “We need more students graduating, finding employment and rebuilding the state’s manufacturing base.”

Stan Jagla
Party: Independent
Political Experience: None
Employment: Worked for a large Chicago–based bank (1996-1999), small business owner (1999-2000), consultant (1999–now)
Key issue: Political reform
“There aren’t two parties, there’s only one party; it’s money,” Jagla said. “We have to take money out of politics. It is like a legalized mafia.”

John Arrington
Party: Republican
Political Experience: city of Harvey, Ill. Alderman (1995–2003)
Employment: Community organizer, Thornton Township School District High School Administrator, consultant
Key issue: Reinstating conservative values
Arrington could not be reached for comment.

Patrick Hughes
Party: Republican
Political Experience: Chairman of Sensible Taxpayers Opposed to Increased Taxes
Employment: real estate developer, commercial litigator – Gardner, Carton and Douglas and Tressler, Soderstrom, Maloney and Priess
Key issue: Economic reform through tax reform
“I fundamentally believe that when we forfeit the moral virtues on which our nation was founded we damage our national soul,” according to Hughes’ Web site. “When government grows and claims dominion over more and more aspects of our lives ... we forfeit our liberty.”

Mark Kirk
Party: Republican
Political Experience: U.S. House of Representatives member, 10th Congressional District of Illinois (2000–now)
Employment: Naval Reserve Intelligence Officer – holds rank of Commander and served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and Bosnia
Key issue: Lower health care costs without public option
“Let us be clear – a government–run insurance program will not compete with the private sector; it will replace it,” according to Kirk’s Web site. “By the laws of economics, the private sector cannot fairly compete with the U.S. Treasury. Once a government–run health care system is in place, costs will be controlled by squeezing the suppliers of health care – that is, by rationing care to all Americans.”

Andy Martin
Party: Republican
Political Experience: Political Activist, Foreign Policy and Intelligence Analyst
Employment: Executive Director – Revolutionary War Research Center, author
Key issue: Reclaim the Republican Party
“The two parties are equally corrupt and it’s clear that the people of Illinois want the corruption to be gone,” Martin said. “But we’re getting the same political payrollers running for office, they need someone outside the system.”

Tom Kuna
Party: Republican
Political Experience: Political Activist
Employment: teacher (retired), member of the Illinois Federation of Right for Life (1989–now), non–fiction editor
Key issue: Economic reform
“Unemployment will not be fixed through deficit spending,” Kuna said. “20 hours work for 40 hours pay works using Milton Friedman’s earned income credit plan, the working poor would get a supplement at the end of the year or added to their paycheck from the federal government.”

Don Lowery
Party: Republican
Political Experience: Circuit Court Judge in Illinois’ First Judicial Circuit (1980–2006), State’s Attorney (1977-1980)
Employment: public defender, Military Captain/Vietnam War veteran
Key issue: Economic reform
“We have generated billions of dollars in taxes that will have a marginal effect on the economy,” Lowery said. “If the Cap–and–Trade bill passes the Senate it will have a disastrous, inflationary effect on the economy.”

Kathleen Thomas
Party: Republican
Political Experience: New Berlin, Ill. school board member
Employment: Professor of humanities – Florida State University, Florida A & M, and Lincoln Land Community College
Key issue: Restoring relationship between public and politicians
“Earlier this year, Biden was asked about TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) and he said ‘the American people don’t even know what that means’ and for me that was the last straw,” Thomas said. “I think politicians have lost respect for the people.”

Robert Zadek
Party: Republican
Political Experience: None
Employment: mortgage broker, corporate auditor, United States Coast Guard member, real estate broker
Key issue: Tax reform
“My way of increasing the number of jobs is proposing a flat tax,” Zadek said. “It is the sum of all federal costs divided by the gross income of all individuals and comes to 11.1 percent. Lower taxes means more jobs.”

LeAlan Jones
Party: Green Party
Political Experience: Political Activist
Employment: Contributor to BBC World Services, documentary filmmaker
Jones could not be reached for comment.