Davis, Harold Debate in Bloomington

Republican candidates for Illinois’ 13th Congressional district have debated for the first, and likely the only time before next Tuesday’s primary.  

The federal budget was a point of contention between two of them.  At a Bloomington radio station Monday morning, incumbent Rodney Davis of Taylorville was asked about his decision approve the plan, which included a provision that cut future cost of living adjustments to young veterans.

He said approving a budget that saved $24-billion -  instead of another continuing resolution – was part of a judgment call. 

“In spite of the fact that I was against that provision, and what we’ve done since then, is we actually fixed that provision," he said.  "And that’s exactly what you do in Washington – is you make judgment calls, and you take the good parts of that bill, and you judge the totality of that piece of legislation.  And then those negative parts, you go and you try to fix them.  And I helped lead the charge to fix that.”

Urbana attorney Erika Harold said she would have voted down the budget, saying it did little to address what she calls the ‘drivers’ of national debt.

“The cuts were set to go into effect 10 years down the road, and the spending increases actually we found right away," she said.  "And I think it’s unconscionable to have voted for something that cut veterans’ pensions.  And I would disagree with Congressman Davis, he’s not the person who led the charge on restoring those benefits.”

The two candidates, along with Republican Michael Firsching of Moro, appeared on WRPW radio. 

Davis and Harold sparred over her claims the Congressman tried to justify cuts to veterans in a recent TV interview.

Firsching of Moro didn’t offer comment on this subject, but did debate his opponents on issues like foreign policy and the economy. 

Illinois’ primary is March 18th.