Democratic candidates are criss-crossing the North Shore to shore up support in the 10th Congressional District primary. Here's the latest news:

Dan Seals picked up an endorsement from the Shields Township Democrats and Independents Organization, which represents political activists in North Chicago, Lake Bluff and Lake Forest. Over in Wheeling Township, State Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) and State Rep. Mark Walker (D-Arlington Heights) threw their lot in with Seals, as well. From a release:

“The Shields Township Democrats and Independents are proud to endorse Dan Seals for Congress,” Carol Jones, Co-Chair of Shield Township Democrats and Independents, said.  “Dan has fought long and hard for the residents of the 10^th District.  He has a strong background in both business and policy, an independent leadership style, and substantive positions on just about any issue, which is exactly what the 10^th District and Congress need right now.”

State Rep. Julie Hamos is keeping pace. Today, the Sierra Club endorsed the Wilmette Democrat, calling her "one of the strongest environmental champions in Illinois government." A full rundown of her environmental legislative achievements can be found here. And yesterday, State Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook) wrote a blog post at Huffington Post expressing her support for her House colleague:

Julie Hamos knows what it takes to be a good legislator. Her policies are driven by her constituents and a desire to stand up for people who don't have a voice. She's a coalition builder who isn't afraid to find allies from the other party to build toward a common goal. And she has shown she's not afraid to tell it like it is, particularly when a well-intentioned bill is derailed to protect the Springfield status quo.

Earlier this week, the Daily Herald highlighted one small policy dispute between the candidates. In a questionnaire on "hot-button issues," Seals responded that he supports civil unions. Hamos, on the other hand, supports civil marriage equality and would seek to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. "All levels of government," she wrote, "federal, state and local -- should recognize marriage as legal and afford full benefits."

UPDATE (7:10 pm): The Daily Herald story we linked to above obscures Dan Seals' position on gay marriage. From his campaign website:

Dan supports same sex marriage and believes same sex partners should receive the same legal rights and privileges as any other married couple.  These include property rights, adoption rights, employment benefits, tax treatment, survivor benefits, and the right to assist loved ones in times of emergency. Dan supports the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and opposes a Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. He also supports the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO) and the Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, which extends spousal benefits to all federal civilian employees, including same-sex domestic partners, and equalizes tax treatment, specifically, for employer-provided health coverage for other non-spouse, non-dependent beneficiaries.

We apologize to the Seals campaign for the error.