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The Associated Press State & Local Wire January 26, 2004, Monday, BC cycle HEADLINE: Incumbent's health becomes an issue in Illinois congressional race DATELINE: ROCK ISLAND, Ill. " A challenger's accusation that longtime U.S. Rep. Lane Evans is unfit for another term because of Parkinson's disease has touched off a rancorous start to a U.S. House race that won't go to voters for more than nine months. Evans, a Rock Island Democrat who has battled the neurological disorder since 1995, denies Republican Andrea Zinga's allegation, which also has sparked debate over whether health is fair game on the campaign trail. "Should it surprise us that this kind of boundary has been crossed? I'm afraid not," said George Gordon, an Illinois State University political science professor. Zinga, a former television news anchor and reporter, raised questions about Evans' health as she launched her campaign during a series of news conferences across the 17th district, which covers 23 counties in western and central Illinois. She claims the disease has slowed the 11-term congressman, preventing him from spending enough time in the district to understand all its issues and from working in Washington to solve them. "As the disease advances, his sheer ability to do those things is going to be further diminished," said Zinga, who is unopposed in the March primary and will square off with Evans in November. Evans said that medication and exercise are controlling the disease, which he said has made him move a little slower but has not affected his job performance. "He's upset about it and feels that it shouldn't come up because he's able to do his job. The election should be about issues. It certainly shows a lack of ideas on her part," said Steve Vetzner, a spokesman for Evans. Parkinson's support groups criticized Zinga, arguing that health should not be a campaign issue because most victims of the disease continue to work effectively for 20 years or more. That includes several members of Congress, including the late Morris Udall of Arizona and Joe Skeen of New Mexico, who died last month after a long battle with the disease, said Jeff Martin, chairman of the board of the Parkinson's Action Network. "I think she should apologize and move on to the issues. I'm a Republican and I don't like it when Republicans do things like that," said Martin, a lawyer who served in the first Bush administration and was diagnosed with Parkinson's eight years ago. Political observers said the contentious race is just another example of an ongoing trend in American politics. "Studies seem to suggest that negative campaigns work, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that health could become an issue. Almost anything is fair game, " said Frank Mackaman of the Dirksen Congressional Center, a nonpartisan research and education facility in Pekin. But accusations generally surface through whisper campaigns rather than announcements by the candidates themselves, said Keith Boeckelman, an associate political science professor at Western Illinois University. "It's probably a sign that she's a strong underdog. This is a way to get attention probably and get some name recognition. The risk is that some people are going to see this is as mean spirited," Boeckelman said." LOAD-DATE: January 27, 2004 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn