By Howard Packowitz
NORMAL – Rodney Davis’ re-election campaign for Congress pulled out all the stops Monday, bringing in one of the GOP’s biggest names to rally Davis’ supporters.
Florida Senator and 2016 GOP Presidential candidate Marco Rubio joined Davis backers to praise the incumbent’s performance against Betsy Dirksen Londrigan in the rivals’ fourth and final debate, held at the Normal Theater.
Davis supported the senator’s failed bid for the presidency. Rubio applauded Davis’ efforts to tone down the rhetoric while remaining passionate about this views.
“You can be passionate about your politics. You can be passionate about pointing out where your opponents are wrong, and even if their motivations are wrong,” said Rubio.
“But I think you also have to do so in a way that in the end inspires people to a better future and a hope, not solely based on fear, and he didn’t just say that in (the) debate. He’s done that in his career,” Rubio said.
Congressmen Darin LaHood and Adam Kinzinger were among area Republicans attending Monday night’s rally.
For her part, Londrigan rallied earlier in the day with Democratic Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos on the Illinois State University campus.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at howard.packowitz@cumulus.com
