I used to be a GOP Committeman in that District. I attended a Lake County GOP meeting with an aide of then GOP Congressman Kirk. I warned them that Deerfield was being flipped by RATS from Chicago moving in to the newly constructed duplexs, condos and were buying up three homes to tear down and build mini mansions. Your GOP residences were moving north across the border where property was cheaper and taxes less. I suggested a number of ideas to try and bring new residents into the GOP. They basically patted me on the head and promptly return to discussing what color hats and shirts to get for the GOP Golf outing. Kirk's aide apologized and said he was afraid this would happen. The Lake County GOP was run by old retired out of touch politicians. Just as I predicted the district flipped. But, we had some really nice golf hats that year. (sarc)
That district has a large Jewish population and once had a large synagogue and school. Not sure if it still does. Buffalo Grove had an even larger Jewish population. Kirk had to pander to the Jewish population which tends more liberal. So he tended to be a bit wishy washy on conservative issues. Never understood that. Conservative Christians stood in solidarity with Israel more often than liberal Jews. Now that anti-semitism is on the rise the liberal Jews are upset. Well, what did you expect? To an anti-semite, a Jew is a Jew they could care less whether you are Reform, Conservative of Hasidim.