Politics Today: Jim Durkin, (R) for U.S. Senate for the State of Illinois

By: Krystle Russin

If there has been any word of Jim Durkin in the news lately, it is of his run for Senate against someone with practically the same last name: Dick Durbin. But when speaking with the state representative, it’s easy to see he has much more to say on his campaign than his opponent’s similar spelling.

Durkin’s Senate race began when he won the Republican primary after being "outspent 67 to 1" by the other candidates.

"I won by hard work, but also by a proven record of accomplishment," he said when asked about it. "Even to this day, I have a number of people who still comment on how I won the primary and how refreshing it was that money didn’t carry a day in the election."

Durkin did this interview over the phone while still on the campaign trail - his responses not only showed himself as a choice on the ballot this November, but as a person as well.

Q: What has having four children taught you about family-oriented legislation?
A: I think it gives me a greater understanding of how in the rapidly developing technological age how children can become prey over our computers...I have Internet access and e-mail on our home computer, and they’ve (Durkin’s children) wanted to get on e-mail and talk with friends. I will not allow that. There are more child victims...who have been taken off the streets, kicking, screaming, by predators, and I think that some of the fuel that goes to the fire of these animals comes through the Internet, through the ability of chat rooms, and also through the continuing exploitation of children on the Internet with child pornography.

We’re in a world which is changing so quickly, and children are always going to be children. At young ages, they tend to trust everyone...Children still react the same way; they don’t know better. I’ve been just thinking about how hard that is to teach your children, to press upon them how to be safe and how to make good choices, good alternatives, particularly when it comes to when they’re out on the street playing, but also when they’re going to be using the Internet.

I've been trying. Five years ago, I passed legislation to make sure that child pornographers would never receive probation. That made that a mandatory prison sentence. Right now, I am very concerned with the continuing proliferation of child pornography over the Internet, but no one seems to want to be able to get to the root of the problem.

I have legislation pending (at the time of the interview) before the House of Representatives that would put a mandatory report requirement upon computer technology experts to report child pornography on computers which they happen to be working on or pornography which they would stumble on during the course of visit. I think that that’s important, because I believe that law enforcement does have the resources and technology to trace the source of this pornography and remember these are children who are being exploited.

I liken this the same way that we require film processors at Walgreen’s or the grocery store to have to report to law enforcement anytime that they are developing film which does have child pornography on it. That is a successful and a proven method on how to investigate, but also to apprehend the predators.

As a parent, it’s extremely important to me that my daughters are educated well, but also, they should be suspicious of strangers. These are no different than when we grew up and were taught the same thing. However, I think that the methods and mechanisms that are available right now because of this technological age that we live in give those predators the ability to lure children at a dangerously faster pace.

These are things I’m concerned about, and as a father, I certainly am. I also want to make sure my daughters know what they should do when a stranger talks to them or tries to offer them something. Those are things that we all, as parents, are concerned about.

Q: Your Safe 2 Learn program was cosponsored by Jim Ryan. If he is elected governor, will you push this program further or create a larger one similar to it?
A: Here’s the problem with Safe 2 Learn - the original budget it passed had $13.9 million of funding to go to these classrooms to teach children about nonviolent ways to resolve differences, but also to teach them about having weapons at school, using weapons, whether it’s knives or firearms - that was cut out of the budget. There’s no money in the state budget right now, and it’s very disappointing, so when Jim Ryan becomes governor, ...I will certainly impress upon the governor and upon the legislature that they need to properly fund Safe 2 Learn.

I think it’s important because of certainly, the things we have seen the past three or four years in schools where young adults are taking their aggression out on fellow students, and it’s through firearms. Education is always key when you’re dealing with young impressionable minds, teaching them more alternatives or better choices they can make in life.

Q: During this year’s campaign, you are running against an incumbent senator. What have you done differently in the race because of this?
A: I’ve realized that I don’t have the machinery of Washington, D.C. like Dick Durbin has, nor do I have all the special interest money that he has grown so fond of over his career. I think it’s pretty apparent that he’s spent more time raising money than addressing the important issues of the state of Illinois, and that’s after five and a half years in the United States Senate. So what I’m doing is that I’ve been...visiting all different regions of the state, walking through state fairs and parades, talking to local press but also to the local businessmen, the local moms and dads, our firemen and police officers about what they want out of a U.S. senator in Washington. I’m running a campaign the same way I did in the primary. I was outspent considerably as you probably recall in the primaries by my two opponents.

Q: If you happen to win this election, do you plan to work often with Sen. Fitzgerald on issues important to Illinois, and what would you both try to accomplish in the Senate?
A: I’ve known Peter Fitzgerald since he’s been in the State Senate. Both of us have respect for each other. I’ll work with Peter Fitzgerald. I’m going to work with the other side of the aisle as well - that’s what I’ve done in Springfield.

I was the chairman of a special committee - the Speaker of the House appointed me, a Republican, to a committee that investigated the criminal justice system because I have support not only for Republicans but also Democrats - who respect my ability to be a leader, to be able to understand the tough issues but also to advance solutions to problems.

I’ll go to Washington. I will work with Peter Fitzgerald, absolutely. Like I said, I’ll work with not only Peter, but the Democrats and one independent in the Senate, Jim Jeffords (of Vermont).

Q: As senator, what would be your top legislative priority?
A: My top legislative priorities would not be one. I think that anyone who goes to Washington with one priority: that’s not enough. You have to have priorities, not just one. Priorities for me are - economic opportunity has to be continued, economic development must continue, educational opportunity has to continue, and also national security - one which is of utmost importance to me from my background as a prosecutor of the work administration.

We are living in an era where we have enemies that are living in our streets; they're in our nation. We have enemies who are living in this country as long as we’ve been living abroad. Homeland security has been able to develop responsible homeland security policies. In this year which we live now, this is now part of our government. This is not just a moment in our history. Terrorism in our country is here, something which we have to adapt to, we have to adjust to, but we can’t forget to be able to prepare for as well. I take great in going to Washington to help Attorney General John Ashcroft, Tom Ridge, our Homeland Security director, to advance policies that are going to make this a safer country, but we’re going to do it in a way that is going to be responsive and will fall within the four corners of the Constitution.

Probably more than just one priority, but I think that all of them are always important. Educational opportunity, economic opportunity. We’ve got to think of the work, we’ve got to keep business in the United States, track business into pressed areas to provide educational opportunities, particularly in areas where there has been a failing school system. We need to give parents choices, help their children, give their children a better chance of preparing themselves for this new century.

Q: Shortly after the Republican primary, you said to the Chicago Sun-Times, "You can’t buy a nomination. Experience means something." How are you bringing this message out into your campaign?
A: I tell you what: it’s been received quite well. I remind people, and I tell them about how I won my primary.

My campaign goes to mainstream America. People feel that they have no say in government - because first of all, they can never get elected because they don’t have the personal wealth to get elected to Congress - that they can never participate in the process, so I remind people, and I tell them that I was outspent 67 to 1 in my primary. I won by hard work, but also by a proven record of accomplishment. People really appreciate it. Even to this day, I have a number of people who still comment on how I won the primary and how refreshing it was that money didn’t carry a day in the election.

I think that we need to continue with that type of grassroots government, politics, and campaigning...Millionaires like the human ATM out of New Jersey, Sen. Corzine or if you go down the roster, people will spend millions and millions of dollars for a $150,000 a year job, where a lot of good people who can make great contributions will never have the ability to avail themselves to this process because of the proliferation of multi-millionaires.

So my election in the primary - which I ran against two fine men, I will say that, two fine businessmen - I’m not a millionaire, and I won. Hopefully, this is a trend. It’s going to continue to allow middle-income people; people who have to work...will be able to participate and will be able to make productive changes for the country.

Krystle Russin writes for The State Journal-Register(IL) and contributes political articles/interviews to several publications including PurePolitics.com.