A local Senator is announcing that he will not endorse his fellow incumbent Republican in the Illinois House of Representatives.
According to the State Journal Register, State Senator Sam McCann is announcing that he is endorsing Jonas Petty, the challenger from Pittsfield, over incumbent C.D. Davidsmeyer of Jacksonville, in the Republican primary for Illinois’ 100th House District.
McCann made the announcement at the American Legion in Pittsfield. According to the State Journal Register, McCann said that “I have nothing personally against Representative Davidsmeyer. I think he’s a good man. I think Mr. Petty’s a good man. What I have a problem with is, ever since Governor Rauner came to power, Representative Davidsmeyer is one of those people who just totally went along with him.” McCann went on to say “I’m trying to figure out why the people of the 100th District should send C.D. Davidsmeyer back here just to be a rubber stamp for the Rauner administration.”
Last year, Davidsmeyer did side with Democrats initially on a vote to pass a state budget that included a tax increase, but subsequently backed Rauner in an override after saying that talks with his constituents had convinced him that his initial vote was wrong.
McCann said, “I think that underscores the fact that once he did finally stand up to the governor, he eventually backed down.”
In terms of supporting Petty, McCann said about the challenger, “He has impressed upon me that he is the kind of man who will be resolute in carrying the message of the people to Springfield.”
Senator McCann did not file for re-election as a Republican this year after defeating a Rauner-supported challenger in the 2016 primary. McCann says he plans to reveal his own political plans by the middle of April.