With more than a dozen candidates running for the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by Peter Fitzgerald, the Illinois senator who only served one term, one candidate is attempting to separate himself from the pack.

State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, who has represented the 22nd District for the past 11 years, said what separates him from the other candidates is that he is the only Republican candidate who has been elected to a public office.

There are six other Republicans who have said they want to fill the senate seat, including various professionals, business people and one retired air force major general. However, there are several Democratic candidates who have served in public offices.

Rauschenberger, whose campaign totes him as the candidate with “proven leadership,” said he wants to get into the senate seat to help rebuild the image of the Republican Party.

“The Republican Party needs a candidate it can trust and help reform the party,” Rauschenberger said. He said once he is in office, he also wants to improve the productivity of universities and colleges.

Despite budgeting concerns at the state level, Rauschenberger said NIU President John Peters and Kathy Buettner, executive director of State and Federal Relations, have done an excellent job in getting funding for the university.

Rauschenberger said he has not run into a university in Illinois that is saying it is getting its fair share. He said he particularly supports the four-year commitment and thinks any student should be able to graduate within four years.

Rauschenberger visited NIU on Friday to speak with some political science professors and delivered a “standard campaign speech,” said Eric Johnson, president of the NIU College Republicans.

Johnson said Rauschenberger is an experienced candidate.

“There aren’t going to be any surprises with him,” Johnson said.