By Eric Stock

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, is switching allegiances in the Republican primary for president but there’s one switch Kinzinger says he won’t make regardless of who wins the nomination.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Colleen’s interview with Kinzinger on WJBC.

“This guy cannot be the new face of the Republican Party, the party of Ronald Reagan, (the party) of optimism,” Kinzinger said.

Kinzinger called Donald Trump a ‘fourth-grade child’ for his frequent attacks on his opponents. Kinzinger had backed Jeb Bush, now that his campaign his over, he’s pushing for Marco Rubio, who he said is trying to beat Trump at his own game.

“If he can’t physically, emotionally, take this kind of stuff now, wait until Hillary Clinton gets a hold of him,” Kinzinger added.

Kinzinger told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, the personal attacks which have taken center stage in this campaign are a short-term battle for long term gain to ensure Trump doesn’t win. He declared Trump doesn’t believe in the Constitution, citing his threat to toss out libel laws that protect the media.

Kinzinger said he didn’t know whom he would vote for if Trump was the Republican nominee.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].