Candidates appear at annual Democrat Day Picnic at Illinois State Fair

SPRINGFIELD (WLS) -- The competition appears to be tightening in the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate in Illinois. Today the candidates were on hand for the annual Democrat Day Picnic at the Illinois State Fair.

Just a few months ago it appeared Tammy Duckworth would be the only state Democratic Party primary candidate running for the U.S. Senate next year. After Thursday at the fair, that will not be the case.

U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Duckworth wheeled into the Democrat Day Picnic followed a few minutes later by her primary opponent, former Urban League president Andrea Zopp, who officially announced her candidacy.

Also at the event were two candidates exploring the race: Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin and south suburban State Senator Napoleon Harris.

"I think I'm qualified," State Sen. Harris said. "I think I've demonstrated a strong democratic record here in my tenure in Springfield."

At the fair, Duckworth looked beyond the March primary to the general election in November of next year.

"I am the right person to go up against Mark Kirk and I will take him down," Duckworth said to the crowd.

At breakfast, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin appeared on video endorsing Duckworth, as the Washington-based Senate Democratic Campaign Committee has already done.

"I believe she is the best and strongest candidate that the democratic party can field," Sen. Durbin said.

"I don't think that Washington should be dictating who Illinois nominates as its candidate for U.S. Senate," said State Sen. Kwame Raoul.

Zopp, a former prosecutor, corporate attorney and mother of three, insisted she is the most qualified.

"I've got experience on the issues that are going to matter," Zopp said. "That's what I think is going to move the County Chairmen and is going to move the voters in Illinois."

Boykin, meanwhile, tried again to explain his support for Republican Kirk in 2010.

"Elections are about the future and not about the past," he said.

Duckworth, who is giving up her congressional seat to run for senate, said a crowded field will help her campaign.

"I think it's a good thing," she said. "In fact, the more democrats we have in the race talking about all the problems Mark Kirk has the better."

Duckworth also said she is not disappointed by the fact that the powerful Cook County Central Committee chose not to endorse anyone in the race.