The national focus on tomorrow's Illinois’ 2012 primary election will be the Republican presidential nominee race, but there are Congressional races that also have critical national implications.

Redistricting created a map where Illinois’ Democratic delegation to the U.S. House could gain seats – meaning primary winners have an excellent chance of winning the general election in November. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, DCCC, put Illinois as central to its “Red-To-Blue” program.

National Journal’s Cook Political Report lists no less than four Illinois Republicans – 8th District Rep. Joe Walsh, 10th District Rep. Robert Dold, 13th District Rep. Judy Biggert, and 17th District Rep. Bobby Schilling – among its ten House Republicans most vulnerable to defeat.

Here is a look at four key Congressional primaries:

2nd District:

Seventeen-year incumbent U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s (D-Chicago) disputed ties to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s corruption conviction opened the door for a high-profile opponent. That would be Debbie Halvorson of Crete, who spent two years as a representative in Illinois’ 11th district before losing to Republican Adam Kinzinger in 2010.

Jackson, however, is arguably out campaigning Halvorson. He put Halvorson on the defensive about her voting record in Congress. Jackson points out, with some persuasiveness, that Halvorson might take a more lax approach to regulating financial institutions and also oil companies.

Halvorson points out that besides Jackson’s ethics scandals, the incumbent has focused too much on getting a third Chicago airport – and the airport has still not happened. She would try to get a position on the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in order to bring jobs to a 2nd District devastated by manufacturing plant closings.

Jackson enjoys the backing of organized labor, including SEIU Illinois Council (sponsor of this site), and Democratic heavy hitters like Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, and President Barack Obama.

8th District:

The Illinois General Assembly redrew the 8th congressional district to add Democratic precincts in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties and, effectively, put incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-McHenry) on his toes. Tea Partier Walsh first announced that he would run in the 14th, then decided he would stay in the 8th, and runs unopposed in the Republican primary.

The Democratic race pits Tammy Duckworth, former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, against Raja Krishnamoorthi, former state deputy treasurer, with both candidates from Hoffman Estates. The race first looked like it would be a debate about economic policy, with Krishnamoorthi’s claim that he has better command of economic issues – and a better chance to out debate the loquacious Walsh, and Duckworth touting her jobs plan.

But much of the recent debate has surrounded the use of Political Action Committee, PAC, and “Super” PAC money. Duckworth excoriates a Krishnamoorthi-related Super PAC, which can accept unlimited money as long as the candidates don’t coordinate with donors. Krishnamoorthi, meanwhile, says that Duckworth takes millions from normal PAC’s, which are bound by contribution limits.

Duckworth enjoys the endorsement of SEIU Illinois Council and most of organized labor, though the AFL-CIO declined to endorse a candidate. This is a national race – whoever wins will get major DCCC support to take on Walsh.

10th District:

The 10th district was also redrawn to include more Democratic voters, by including northern suburbs in Cook and Lake Counties. The winner of the five-person Democratic race takes on first-term U.S. Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth).

Two candidates have emerged as co-front runners in the Democratic contest –Brad Schneider of Deerfield and Illya Sheyman of Waukegan. Schneider is owner of Candace Consulting LLC and casts himself as the most electable candidate, with endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Daily Herald, and former “Blue Dog” Democratic lawmaker Melissa Bean. Schneider has focused on tax credits to small business to create jobs.

Sheyman, a 25 year-old f community organizer, is a national favorite of progressives. He worked for Howard Dean’s Democracy for America, a progressive PAC, which, in turn, has identified Sheyman as one of its top ten national progressive candidates. Sheyman is for rolling back the Bush tax cuts, a version of single-payer health care, and a national green jobs bank.

17th District:

The 17th is yet another district redrawn to incorporate more Democratic precincts and go after a freshmen Republican lawmaker, in this case U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-Rock Island).

The boundaries include Peoria, Rockford, and the Quad Cities, or the “manufacturing triangle” as top Democratic contender Cheri Bustos hopefully calls it. Bustos is a former communications executive with Iowa Health Systems. She is backed by Dick Durbin, Emily’s list, and raised $294,000 in January and February – more than Schilling or her Democratic opponents.

Bustos wants to rebuild the relationship between central Illinois and Peoria-based Caterpillar, which has lately shipped jobs to North Carolina and South Carolina. She would push for business tax incentives to bring jobs to Illinois. Another job creation plan: Bustos supports building the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, an idea opposed by many progressive environmentalists.

Another candidate is Greg Aguiliar, an Augustana College administrator, who opposes the pipeline construction, and wants an energy policy that prioritizes alternative sources. The Peoria Journal Star notes that Aguilar is focused on income inequality, but lacks specifics. Freeport mayor George Gaulrapp is also on the ballot. Gaulrapp is a fiscal moderate focused on balancing the budget – without cutting Medicaid, social security, or national defense.

For detailed profiles on all of the Illinois congressional candidates, check out the Congressional Primaries 2012 tool here or via the link at the top of the page.

Image: UCC.edu