THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEEK OF OCTOBER 21, 2007
U of C Professor Enters House Race
By TOM ROBB
Journal Reporter
This week, political organizer and University of Chicago math professor Dan Biss will file more than 2,000 signatures to run in the February primary election as a Democrat for the 17th District Illinois House seat.
Biss, of Evanston, hopes to unseat moderate Republican incumbent Elizabeth Coulson who now holds the seat. The 17th Dist. includes portions of Glenview, Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette, Golf, and Morton Grove. Biss only needs 500 signatures to be placed on the ballot.
After working as an organizer for U.S. Sen. John Kerry's failed 2004 run for the presidency, and for congressional candidates in 2006, Biss was moved to run by what he calls the political culture of polarization and dysfunction in Springfield.
"State government stays in the shadows, not watched until, my God, things are so bad," said Biss. He said he would work hard to bring new people in to the process.
Biss said he never thought he would go in to politics, but he has become increasingly concerned with the direction of the country over the last six years. "One, I'm a problem solver," said Biss, in a nod to his academic background. He went on to say that he has expertise on education issues and will set environmental and transportation issues as priorities.
Biss said he would be independent from influence of political action committees (PACs) and corporations.
"A huge number of legislators' campaigns are funded from corporations, PACs, and lobbyists. It leaves them with a lack of independence." He continued, "The majority of Coulson's money comes from PAC's and corporations."
Though he would not rule it out, Biss said he would have to weigh carefully whether or not to accept money from PACs, lobbyists, or corporations. For all the donations that have come flooding in, Biss said none has been from corporations, PACs, or lobbyists. The majority of his donations are from within the district but he did not have exact numbers.
The math professor's numbers are strong. He has amassed a $69,000 campaign war chest, something Biss said is a record for a first time challenger.
His campaign attracted national attention in a Sept. 28 Wall Street Journal article. The article talked about how Biss stole a page from Howard Dean's playbook, using the Internet for fundraising.
Though he could afford it, Biss has no campaign office or paid staff.
"It's just friends and a basement right now," he said.