Mediaboss Marketing

BY NATASHA KORECKI Political Reporter April 22, 2014 9:23PM

Republican candidate for U.S. Jim Oberweis addresses the audience Tuesday at the Chicago Club downtown. Illinois Republican leaders gathered to publicly support immigration reform and call it for a vote in the U.S. House. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times

storyidforme: 65344248 tmspicid: 23372084 fileheaderid: 11406230

Updated: April 23, 2014 2:24AM

Before a standing-room-only crowd of immigration reform activists, Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Jim Oberweis on Tuesday offered a mea culpa for a track record of taking harsh stances on illegal immigrants.

Speaking at the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition alongside a Mount Rushmore of Illinois Republicans, Oberweis admitted he was known as a hawk on immigration reform but said he has evolved on the issue over the last decade.

Oberweis was among a slew of GOP political heavyweights attending the event aimed at urging Illinois U.S. House delegation to vote on a measure to reform immigration. Former Gov. Jim Edgar, former U.S. House Speaker Denny Hastert and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner also spoke at the event at the Chicago Club, 81 E. Van Buren.

However, neither Oberweis nor Rauner would embrace Senate-backed comprehensive legislation awaiting a response in the House. Republican House leaders similarly have shown no interest in backing the Senate plan, saying they would prefer a piecemeal approach that begins with reinforcing border security.

As he moves into the general election campaign against U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Chicago, Oberweis, a state senator from Sugar Grove, is trying to tackle head-on what may be his biggest weakness: a controversial TV ad Oberweis ran in 2004. The spot featured Oberweis in a helicopter hovering over Soldier Field, warning that there were enough illegal immigrants to fill that stadium.

Durbins campaign on Tuesday called the spot the most inflammatory and divisive campaign ads in Illinois history. Yet, Oberweis mere invitation to the reform event is evidence he is viewed as having moderated on the issue.

Read more from the original source:
Oberweis regrets harsh tone on immigration