CHICAGO - Jim Oberweis knows second place.

He finished there after two unsuccessful GOP primary runs for the U.S. Senate, and that's where recent poll numbers show him in the race for the Republican nomination for Illinois governor.

But the dairy magnate, whose last name many voters likely associate more with ice cream than poli-tics, says the outcome will be different this time.

"I feel it in my bones, I'm going to win," Oberweis said.

He's counting on his outside-Springfield image and his business acumen to win over voters. He's also touting his conservative views, although he says he prefers the tag "fully committed to Midwestern values" over the "conservative" label.

For Oberweis that means balancing the state budget, believing in the ability of people - not government - to overcome their problems and defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Oberweis says he has shown the depth of his commitment to protecting traditional marriage by helping circulate petitions to try to get a constitutional amendment protecting it on the state ballot. If it makes it, he predicts the measure will pass.

"I believe that is part of the Midwestern values that make up Illinois," said Oberweis, who lives in the Kane County village of Sugar Grove, just west of Aurora.

Oberweis also favors reversing a state law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. He supports the death penalty, promises not to raise taxes, talks about saving money by ending government corruption and favors vouchers so children can leave public schools for private ones.

"I think he has really energized some of the conservative base in the Republican Party," said Jonathan Wright, a former state representative from Lincoln who was one of Oberweis' opponents in the 2004 GOP Senate primary.

At times, it's hard to tell whether Oberweis, 59, is promoting his campaign or the dairy business founded by his grandfather, who started delivering milk to his Aurora neighbors in 1915. The business, which has 39 ice cream stores and more in the works, employs more than 1,000 people, according to Oberweis' campaign Web site.

His current campaign slogan is "Got guv?," a play on the "Got milk?" ad campaign. A past campaign logo was almost identical to his company's dairy-cow logo. He totes a cooler full of Oberweis ice cream to campaign events, pressing people to taste it.

He also is chairman of a brokerage firm he started that now is managed by his oldest son. The candidate, who is engaged to be married, has five adult children with his first wife.

Oberweis has used his business millions to bankroll his foray into politics.

Having never held office, Oberweis likes to brag about being a state Capitol outsider. He says voters need to look outside to someone like him "in order to clean up the mess in Springfield."

The Blagojevich administration is under federal and state investigations for its hiring practices, and Blagojevich, who won office on a promise to clean up politics, has been criticized for giving jobs and state contracts to campaign donors.

Oberweis has pledged as governor not to accept contributions from companies doing business with the state. He also wants the prohibition extended to the state's other top officeholders.

To help reinforce his pledge to clean up government, Oberweis has sometimes compared himself to Patrick Fitzgerald, the straight-arrow U.S. attorney whose office is prosecuting former Republican Gov. George Ryan on racketeering and fraud charges.

Oberweis calls Fitzgerald "the best thing that has hit Illinois in many, many years."

Relaxed and amiable in public situations, Oberweis nonetheless hasn't always been popular within his own party. Although he finished second in the U.S. Senate primary two years ago, the state Republican Party tapped an outsider for the ballot when nominee Jack Ryan dropped out after embarrassing allega-tions about his sex life became public.

Oberweis was widely criticized during that primary election for ads blaming illegal immigrants for taking Americans' jobs. The ad angered many Hispanics and split from the party line.

"I think sometimes he's been a little too aggressive in how he's handled the issues," his one-time oppo-nent Wright said.

Oberweis says he opposes taxpayer-subsidized home loans, in-state subsidized college tuition and driv-ers licenses for illegal immigrants.

"I believe we do a disservice to the rule of law and foster disrespect for our laws when we offer rewards for illegal aliens," Oberweis explained in answering a questionnaire for The Associated Press.

Some of what Oberweis says is less likely to appeal to moderate Republicans, said Denny Wiggins, chairman of the Kane County Republican Party.

For example, Oberweis says he accepts abortion only when a mother's life is in danger.

Oberweis acknowledges what he says won't always popular. For example, he calls Blagojevich's All Kids universal health insurance program "a mistake."

"I believe it was bad policy, I believe it should be ended," he said.

All Kids, which takes effect July 1, is designed to cover any child who has been uninsured for at least a year, with families paying premiums based on their income.

Blagojevich estimates the program will cost $45 million the first year. Oberweis says the costs of the program have been "dramatically" underestimated.

In the meantime, Oberweis will have to wait until March 21 to find out if he can break his losing streak in the primaries.

He won't talk about his plans if he winds up an also-ran in this latest election.

"I'm going to win," he said.

NAME - Jim Oberweis.

AGE - 59

BUSINESS EXPERIENCE - Chairman of Oberweis Dairy and Oberweis Asset Management.

EDUCATION - Marmion Military Academy in Aurora; bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign; MBA from the University of Chicago.

FAMILY - Engaged. Five adult children with first wife