Gary Skoien, a Republican candidate for Congress in the 8th District, is taking a strong stand for women’s rights. And guess what? There are women out there taking a strong stand for Skoien.
The congressional hopeful, who in next year’s primary will be making a second attempt to knock out U.S. Rep. Phil Crane (R-Ill.), surrounded himself Wednesday with female supporters at a news conference in Rolling Meadows, where Skoien outlined some areas of public policy he feels have “fallen short in providing women equal protection under the law.”
“Many women continue to face sexual harassment, domestic violence, economic deprivation (because of dead-beat dads) and are challenged about private decisions to control their own bodies (on the abortion issue). As your next congressman, I will act to correct these injustices,” he said.
Skoien called his news conference to declare that Crane is among several members of Congress who have no sexual harassment policy for their staffs and to challenge him on other issues.
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“There are things that go on in the workplace that just aren’t right, and Phil just doesn’t care about it. And I do care. And that is the difference,” Skoien said.
“Once elected to Congress, when forming my staff, I will establish a sexual harassment policy. Further, I will support legislation to create a similar policy for the entire Congress,” he said.
The race to dislodge Crane is shaping up as the most contentious of Crane’s career, with four Republican challengers in the ring four months before the March primary.
Skoien is one of the more serious contenders, having come closer to Crane in the polls last year than any challenger in Crane’s political history. And Skoien, a Palatine businessman, is taking a leading role in setting the agenda in the race with regular news conferences.
During Wednesday’s event, Skoien suggested that Illinois’ program for providing a safe haven for women abused at home could serve as a model for other states without such policies. And efforts to reform the nation’s welfare system, he said, should include some role for the federal government to help collect money due families from absentee fathers.
Skoien said, “(Abortion) is a choice which often requires agonizing deliberations with close friends, family members and clergy. However, in the end, only a woman can decide who to seek for counsel. Efforts by the government to interfere in that very difficult decision-making process should end.”
A spokesman for Crane questioned Skoien’s latest campaign strategy, while he attempted to dispute several of the challenger’s statements.
At least one other challenger applauded Skoien for highlighting issues but predicted Skoien’s attempt to garner women’s votes will fail.
“He’s clearly trying to get the support of women, but he’s not going to get it,” said Judy McCracken Svenson, a Barrington lawyer. “I’m going to get the overwhelming support.”
Crane aide Kirt Johnson said that the congressman tolerates no sexual harassment in his office but that he also has felt no need to kowtow to the call for a “politically correct office policy.”
Johnson also said Crane voted recently for the Violence Against Women’s Act, which, among other things, makes it a federal crime to cross a state line to commit spousal abuse.
Crane has addressed the issue of economic deprivation on a personal level, said Johnson, by hiring women to make up 50 percent of his staff. And Crane is staunchly against legalized abortion, a longstanding plank in his platform, he said.