Veteran Lawmaker No Shoo-In For Re-Election

(CBS) -- A long-time state representative with a powerful political name may have a formidable re-election challenge.

For only the second time in his 27 years in Springfield, Rep. Dan Burke, brother of Ald. Ed Burke, is facing an opponent.

That man is Chicago high school counselor Aaron Ortiz charges that Burke is out of touch with his largely Latino district.

Democrat Ortiz describes that district this way: "an area that is 72 percent Latino and needs representation who understands the community and who will fight for it."

CBS 2 Political Reporter Derrick Blakley put it to Burke this way: "What would you say are going to be the major issues in this race?"

"I could be cavalier and just say a Latino name versus an Irish name," Burke, D-Chicago, says. "But it goes beyond that."

Burke says he's championed issues important to the Latino community, including support for charter schools that has eased classroom overcrowding.

In his only other challenge, back in 2010, Burke barely survived a race against Latino activist Rudy Lozano Jr., winning by just 576 votes.