When voters go to the polls to elect a senator in the 36th District Nov. 4, they’ll face two candidates who have little in common politically but their first names.

The race features incumbent Sen. Mike Jacobs, a connected East Moline Democrat and third-generation Springfield politician, with a reputation for moving legislation and for shooting from the hip. He faces GOP Mercer County Treasurer Mike Bertelsen, a thoughtful, experienced county official and Springfield neophyte, who sees that as an advantage in bringing change to Springfield.The two largely share the same goals for the district, but would take decidedly different approaches to get there. That’s not surprising considering their backgrounds.

Sen. Jacobs spent most of his post-college years doing consulting work for candidates and officials until he was appointed to replace his father, Sen. Denny Jacobs, D-East Moline, following his retirement. In making his first bid for election, the younger Jacobs boasted that he knew his way around Springfield, and proceeded to show it. He can point to a host of bills which bear his name. His brash nature contributed to his success. It also led to some well-recorded dustups. In at least one of those, we were on his side: standing up to Gov. Rod Blagojevich over the Chicago Democrat’s destructive gross receipts tax. While not everyone applauded how he did it, count us among those who were glad he did it. That characteristic is both a strength and a weakness. It makes him friends, and enemies.

Sen. Jacobs also is ambitious. He says he is moving up the leadership ladder, and expects to go higher when the new Senate president is seated to replace the retiring Emil Jones. He is being courted by the slew of candidates who are lining up at a shot at being one of the state’s four tops. He says that puts him in position to orchestrate the turnaround Springfield needs. If re-elected Sen. Jacobs is planning to launch an exploratory committee to look at fundraising for a potential shot at the governor’s office, a move he said will not interfere with his day job as senator. He says he’s led during his tenure, and he has, speaking out on a variety of issues such as the gross receipts tax.

We’ve especially appreciated his support for the Western Illinois University Quad-Cities campus. In a recent editorial board, however, he gave us some cause for concern. The senator says he remains committed to bringing a university to the Quad-Cities, but wondered aloud whether it had to be Western. He says there is interest in putting a private institution here, maybe even a distance-learning center. There are several things wrong with that idea, not the least of which is that the area needs a “public” university with high quality education at a lower cost guaranteed by the Illinois State Board of Higher Education. We especially question the value a computer-driven college would bring to the Quad-Cities; not students, not jobs, and not many tax dollars or new, well-paid young professionals to live in our communities. Still, we’re encouraged that he is championing the WIU-QC campus because, he says, that’s what his constituents want.

Where Mr. Jacobs is brash, Mr. Bertelsen is careful, speaking thoughtfully and in measured tones that hint at his radio background. Raised on a Mercer County farm, he is a graduate of Aledo High School and attended then-St. Ambrose College before knocking around at radio stations in Aledo, Natchez, Miss., and Jackson, Tenn. It was there that he volunteered on Sen. Trent Lott’s 1988 campaign and for President Bush in 1992. His politics reflect those roots. For example, he is fiscally conservative, staunchly pro-life and anti-same-sex marriage.

He ran and won office the of Mercer County Treasurer in 1993 and has held that office since. His lone statewide experience is as president of the Illinois County Treasurers Association in 2007. Still, he said, “I’ve been in elected office longer than (Sen. Jacobs) has. I think I have a better way of listening and communicating with people.” He said his experience with taxes and fiscal matters would serve him well in a state where lawmakers and the governor treat tax dollars like play money.

“We need to go through and look at some of these programs the state is funding. Are they really needed? Are these minor programs that have been on the books for a long time really doing any good? If we can get rid of some overlap, we can use that money to perhaps balance the budget, he said. “First, lets cut spending. If we still fall short, we’d have to look at a tax increase. When the government does a tax increase, they tend to want to add more programs to spend that money on. We need to take care of our past problems first.”

Mr. Jacobs, too, preached some tough legislative love during our editorial board session. “No one likes to say no, because you don’t become popular saying no,” he said. “But I have no problem with it.”

The issue here is not one of ability or quality; we believe both men are well-qualified to do the district’s business and they care what becomes of their community. The difference lies in their approach to getting it done: out-spoken insider with a proven record vs. quiet, effective local politicians with no ties to Springfield.

We leave it to voters to determine which personality and approach are the right ones to help end the gridlock and acrimony in Springfield.