Rodney Davis (L) and David Gill (R) joined John Hartman for a 13th Congressional District debate in Springfield on Wednesday. (WJBC file photo)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD - You won’t find much common ground between the two major-party candidates in the new 13th Congressional District in Illinois. The men debated Wednesday night.

The district includes part or all of the Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, Bloomington-Normal, and Springfield areas, as well as the Metro East.

Republican Rodney Davis of Taylorville was appointed to the ticket after incumbent U. S. Rep. Tim Johnson (R-Urbana) won the primary and then quit. David Gill of Bloomington is the Democrat in the race.

“I would not repeal Obamacare,” said Gill, an emergency-room doctor. “There are many good elements to Obamacare: the fact that you can leave your children on the policy until they’re 26 … the fact that that donut hole gets closed for our seniors.”

“Obamacare is a $2.6 trillion boondoggle,” said Davis, a longtime staffer for U. S. Rep. John Shimkus (R-Collinsville). “I would vote to repeal and replace it. I do believe we need to provide a health care safety net for those who are uninsured, underinsured, and underserved.”

Trying to appeal to those who do not identify strongly with either party, independent candidate John Hartman of Edwardsville said, “Our current political system is acting as a sieve, and only certain people acting certain ways can get through.”

The election is Nov. 6.