SPRINGFIELD - Republican Martin Ozinga sounded a somber note during a conference call with reporters last week as he charted a course for the final days of his congressional campaign. | Interactive Video: Create your own 11th District debate

The Homer Glen concrete company owner and first-time candidate for public office said the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is spending overwhelming resources in the 11th Congressional District in an attempt to "financially bury us."

"That's the circumstances we find ourselves in," Ozinga said.

With just a over a week to go before voters in the 11th district head to the polls, Ozinga finds himself down in some polls and behind in money in the race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller of Morris.

Ozinga faces Democrat Debbie Halvorson of Crete and Green Party candidate Jason Wallace in a race that ranks in the top tier of congressional match-ups in the nation.

A Halvorson victory in a district long held by Republicans would be a feather in the cap of Democratic Party officials, who are predicting a strong showing across the board on Election Day.

Ozinga, 58, is president of Mokena-based Ozinga Bros., an 80-year-old family-owned concrete business. Ozinga previously sought to be the replacement candidate in the 2004 U.S. Senate race. Republicans picked commentator Alan Keyes instead, who went on to lose badly to Democrat Barack Obama.

Halvorson lives in Crete with her husband, Jim Bush. They have four children and four grandchildren. The former stay-at-home mom once sold Mary Kay cosmetics and now holds the title of Senate majority leader, the No. 2 post behind Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago.

Wallace, 26, served in the Illinois Air National Guard for six years and served in Iraq for a total of 17 months. He graduated with a degree in political science and government and a minor in peace and conflict resolution from Illinois State University. Wallace attended Heartland Community College, where he served as the school's student trustee.

For Ozinga, the race has been a game of catch-up since he entered the race.

Originally, Republican voters chose New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann to run against Halvorson. However, he dropped out after winning the primary.

Republicans picked Ozinga, hoping he'd be able to self-fund the campaign. Thus far, he's loaned himself $320,000 to augment about $1.1 million he's received from donors.

Money has played a big role in the contest.

Halvorson has received support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and groups like Emily's List. The money has helped her stay on the airwaves with television ads, while Ozinga has been waiting for the final days of the campaign to unleash his ads.

In all, the candidates and outside groups are likely to spend at least $4 million on the seat.

In recent days, polls show Halvorson with a lead.

An automated poll conducted for Roll Call on Oct. 20-21 found Halvorson with 50 percent of the vote, compared to 37 percent for Ozinga and 9 percent for Wallace. The survey of 623 voters had a error margin of plus or minus four percent.

Halvorson says the district is a 50-50 mix of Democrats and Republicans, which is why she touted her endorsement by the National Rifle Association last week, hoping to bring some Republican-leaning gun owners into her camp.

Halvorson has had to fend off attacks attempting to link her to unpopular Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Emil Jones. Ozinga, however, lost much of his ammunition when Democrats began hammering home the message that Ozinga has contributed money to Blagojevich's campaign.

Nonetheless, the problems with Illinois state government have given Ozinga enough fodder to raise questions about how Halvorson would function in Washington D.C.

"Voters are beginning to see Debbie Halvorson for who she really is: a career politician who has spent the last several years in Springfield doing Rod Blagojevich's bidding at the expense of Illinois' middle class," noted Ozinga campaign manager Andy Sere.

At the same time, Ozinga hails from the party of President Bush, which has carried its own baggage for Republican candidates.

And, at a time when the economy outpaces all other issues on voters' minds, the call for change among Democrats has put them into a position to potentially gain more than 30 seats in Congress.

Also working against Ozinga has been the influence of Barack Obama in the race.

While the district has voted Republican in recent presidential elections, polls show Obama is leading the way in the 11th this time around.

Ozinga also has fended off criticism that he doesn't live inside the boundaries of the 11th district.

The Homer Glen resident's home is less than two miles from the border, but says he feels he understands the district, which stretches from Chicago's south suburbs to Bloomington-Normal.

"I don't think it's a big deal at all," Ozinga said. "I don't think that's an issue.

Wallace, meantime, has spent less than $10,000 in his bid. He has decried the nasty tone of the race and continued to press his agenda, which hinges on reducing the nation's reliance on foreign oil.

Halvorson has piggy-backed on Wallace's environmental push, saying the region could benefit from wind power and solar power and the jobs they might create.

Ozinga believes he's more in tune with voters in the district than Halvorson or Wallace.

"I would describe them as a little more liberal than I am," Ozinga said.