* Former GOP Congressman Tim Johnson has endorsed freshman Rodney Davis…

Click to listen

Quote…

“I think he’s done a very credible job of representing the district. He appears to be very hands-on attention to the people throughout the district. He’s concerned with transportation and agriculture and other issues that dramatically affect this area. And I’m proud to endorse him.”

* Johnson refused to endorse Davis in 2012, but Davis won without his help and during a huge Democratic wave, no less…

“I’ve come to like him personally and I’m really pleased to endorse him,” Johnson, who retired from Congress in 2012, said of Davis. “I think that one of the things that this will help him with is that his numbers in the election in Champaign County haven’t been quite what he’d like them to be and they haven’t been anywhere near where mine were. Of course when you’re from an area where you’re going to have a leg up on somebody who is not that happens, but I think this will help him in that regard.”

Davis has had trouble with the Champaign County GOP over the years because the county was so accustomed to having its own congressman…

“I think (Davis) reflects not necessarily Champaign County, but probably he is more mainstream for this district,” Johnson said of the congressional district that stretches from Champaign-Urbana on the northeast to Edwardsville and Collinsville on the southwest. “I think his philosophy reflects the district pretty well. And I think he’s done a more than credible job. Every time I’ve contacted his office with constituent matters he’s done a good job of getting back to me. And I want to see him get reelected.”

Davis is being challenged by former Madison County Judge Ann Callis, a Democrat from Edwardsville.

“I think this will be a tough reelection this year and in this part of the district — Champaign, McLean, Macon, DeWitt, Piatt (counties) — I think a number of people were interested in what my position was and I thought that with Labor Day coming up in a week or so, I thought it would be an appropriate time to endorse him. He asked me to endorse him and I told him I’d be pleased to do it.”

* Meanwhile…

Hi Rich,

I”m not a usual reader or poster on Cap Fax but once in awhile people have told me that an anonymous poster going by the name “joan” posts really ridiculous opinions and implies it is me in Champaign County. As you can easily see by checking IP addresses, it is not me.

In March, I posted a disclaimer but it was the next morning and by then, evidently, readers moved on.

Apparently, a person believes it’s important to use my name to promote some political agenda but I’m sure you agree that it’s disturbing and unfair.

In addition, while I am known to be a proponent of primaries on every level as healthy to each party (and have won and lost in them myself), I fully support Congressman Davis. I admire his work ethic, constituent service, and agree with most of his policies and votes. I was an early contributor to his campaign.

Is there anything you/I can do to put a stop to this “joan” poster pretending to be me?

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

Joan Dykstra
Savoy, IL

I suggested that I publish her e-mail. She agreed.