CHICAGO (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat seeking his fourth U.S. Senate term against Illinois Sen. Jim Oberweis in November, sat down with The Associated Press for a wide-ranging interview about the campaign. Here are excerpts of what he said and his stands on the issues:
ILLINOIS ECONOMY
Durbin said Democrats have tried to turn the economy around after the policies of former Republican President George W. Bush led the U.S. into recession, and argued that they’ve had “good luck” making progress. He acknowledged, however, that Illinois’ unemployment rate remains higher than most of the country.
“In Illinois we still have a ways to go. We need to create more jobs. And I think we’re on that track. We’re moving in that direction.”
FOREIGN POLICY
Durbin said he agrees with President Barack Obama’s efforts to work jointly with international partners to contain and eliminate the Islamic State group. He does not believe U.S. combat troops should be used.
“I among many others in this country feel that we have engaged in that effort and learned the hard way that it doesn’t accomplish our goals in a 21st century world facing terrorism,” Durbin said.
IMMIGRATION
Durbin was part of a bipartisan group of senators who drafted an immigration overhaul that, among other things, would give some 11 million people who entered the U.S. illegally a path to citizenship. The bill passed the Senate but hasn’t advanced in the GOP-controlled House.
Durbin said that absent House action, he supports President Barack Obama’s plan to use executive action that could shield millions of people from deportation.
“(House Republicans) failed to solve this problem, and (Obama) is trying to make the best of a bad situation,” Durbin said.
He also said he “saw the political element” in Obama’s decision to put off that action until after the November elections, but Durbin said the delay is also because the president is “in the process of working out the best way to do this.”
BORDER SECURITY
Durbin said he supported the immigration bill despite misgivings about its provisions to put more guards and other security on the border, which he says goes “beyond what I would consider reasonable.”
“Our border security today is good and it’s effective when you consider that it’s a working border,” Durbin said. “This isn’t a Berlin Wall. There are millions of people moving back and forth across that border legally every single day and it does work well in terms of stopping illegal immigration.”
He said he doesn’t want people entering the U.S. illegally, but that there are ways to more effectively monitor borders than fences, and the U.S. has the technology to do so.
ETHANOL
Durbin opposes a proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule to lower the renewable fuel standard — a position that puts him at odds with Obama and some environmentalists.
He said corn growers in Illinois and elsewhere are worried about what to do with a bumper crop if companies stop buying corn to make ethanol, and prices plummet due to decreased demand. He denied that his position is bowing to special interests.
“I would just say walking away from corn production in our state is walking away from a major part of our economy,” Durbin said.
DEBATES
Durbin denied Oberweis’ claims that his refusal to meet for seven statewide debates is a sign of arrogance. Durbin has agreed to two televised debates, in addition to a forum where both candidates appeared last month.
“There will be plenty of opportunity in those debates to see the differences between us,” Durbin said.
