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Davis vs. Londrigan roundup: New poll, new ad, debate coming up

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* Rodney Davis fundraising email…

Friend,

This is urgent.

Betsy Londrigan just released an internal poll that shows her campaign down by only one percentage point in this key race! We knew the numbers would be tight but this shows this race has further tightened.

Friend, we’re counting on your support now more than ever. We must show Leftwing Londrigan who really has the support of the grassroots in this race. Londrigan’s record of supporting Nancy Pelosi’s radical agenda and palling around with corrupt Illinois politicians like Mike Madigan have NO place in Congress, much less in Downstate Illinois.

We knew this race was in a dead heat before this poll was released and this solidifies our fears. We can’t afford to have any supporters sitting on the sidelines. Can we count on your support today to show Londrigan that Team Rodney is ready to fight to defend this district?

Chip in any amount you can afford now to help Team Rodney respond in this key race.

I probably wouldn’t have posted Londrigan’s internal poll, but that email legitimized it.

* Londrigan campaign press release…

A new poll conducted by GBAO Strategies shows Betsy Dirksen Londrigan in a statistical tie with Congressman Rodney Davis, 47 - 48%, showing an increasingly tight race in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District. At this time in 2018, Davis led the race by six points. Davis also held a six-point lead in the race at the beginning of this summer, but now Dirksen Londrigan has brought Davis’ support to under 50% and is in a position to overtake the vulnerable incumbent by November.

Donald Trump won the 13th District in 2016, but he now trails Vice President Biden 44 - 51%.

After coming within 1% of unseating Davis in 2018, support is growing for Dirksen Londrigan and her vision for Central Illinois — ensuring access to quality, affordable health care, protecting those with pre-existing conditions, and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

The poll was conducted by GBAO Strategies on behalf of the Dirksen Londrigan campaign among 500 likely voters between September 17-20, 2020. It has a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percentage points.

* Meanwhile…

Today, Rodney Davis’ campaign for Congress released a new ad titled “Kathy,” which highlights Betsy Londrigan’s support for a government-run insurance plan that could force the closure of more than half of America’s rural hospital, including 39 in Illinois.

The ad features Kathy Fergin, who has been a nurse anesthetist in central Illinois for 25 years. Kathy discusses Betsy Londrigan’s support for a government-run insurance plan known as the Medicare X public option, which would have disastrous consequences for rural hospitals, according to two independent, non-partisan studies.

Research highlighted by the American Hospital Association found that the Londrigan-backed public option plan could force the closure of more than half of rural hospitals across the country, including up to 39, or half, of the rural hospitals in Illinois.

Additional research conducted on behalf of the AHA shows the Londrigan-backed plan would cut funding for hospitals across the country by nearly $800 billion over a 10-year period. The AHA says the plan “would result in the largest ever cut to hospitals” and “could have a significant impact on patient access to care.”

As Capitol Fax’s Rich Miller noted, “This congressional district has a huge number of major regional hospitals, likely the most in Illinois and perhaps one of the most in the country. Those hospitals are significant local employers and they also drive technological development. Not to mention that hospitals have been especially hard-hit during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Rural hospitals in IL-13 include Carrollton, Jerseyville, Litchfield, Staunton, Carlinville, Hillsboro, Taylorville, Pana, Clinton and Monticello.

Londrigan announced her support for Medicare-X in 2018, but has since dodged questions on how the plan would decimate hospitals across the country.

* The ad…

* Script…

Kathy: I’ve been a nurse anesthetist in central Illinois for 25 years.

Rural hospitals are vital to our families and our economy.

But Betsy Londrigan supports a government-run health insurance plan that could force more than half of America’s rural hospitals to close.

Here in Illinois, we could lose 39 hospitals.

Betsy Londrigan’s liberal policies would destroy jobs and jeopardize care.

…Adding… Londrigan response…

Health care is personal to Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and she is committed to protecting and building upon the Affordable Care Act, protecting those with pre-existing conditions, and working to lower prescription drug prices. Dirksen Londrigan is committed to ensuring access to quality, affordable health care while Congressman Rodney Davis is working tirelessly to tear down our health care system.

An ad released today by Congressman Davis is just another desperate attempt to divert attention from his numerous votes in Washington to gut health care protections for Central Illinois families. Here’s what Davis doesn’t want voters to know:

Davis voted 11 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement.
Davis repeatedly voted to support a lawsuit that could lead to the Supreme Court overturning the Affordable Care Act by the end of this year.
Davis’ actions would have rolled back funding for Medicaid Expansion and thus risk the closure of rural hospitals, including across Illinois. Repealing the Affordable Care Act would also strip health care coverage from millions, including more than 31,000 in Illinois’ 13th District alone, and remove protections from more than 282,500 13th District residents with pre-existing conditions.

“Betsy’s priorities have always been to strengthen and expand upon the Affordable Care Act and the essential health benefits that go along with it and lower the cost of prescription drugs,” said campaign spokeswoman Eliza Glezer. “Voters in Central Illinois won’t be fooled by Congressman Davis’ desperate attempts to distract from his 11 votes to repeal the ACA without a replacement, votes to gut protections for people with people with pre-existing conditions, and votes against lowering the cost of prescription drugs.”

Additional information on Davis’ disastrous health care record can be found at www.RodneyDavisTruth.com.

* Related…

* Rep. Rodney Davis and challenger Betsy Londrigan to debate Oct. 13

* Candidate Questionnaire: Rodney Davis

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:05 pm

Comments

Takes some brass to vote to repeal Obamacare repeatedly and then campaign in support of rural hospitals. Without that Medicaid money, how would they still be open?

Comment by Dan Johnson Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:07 pm
I hope Betsy Londrigan wins this election. She will vote for the people of IL.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:10 pm
“Betsy Londrigan supports a government-run health insurance plan that could force more than half of America’s rural hospitals to close.”

What makes you think giving more people insurance would close rural hospitals? This makes zero sense.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:12 pm
The as is barely a C-

The campaign, for me, has come down to this;

Davis needs to embrace Trump as tight as he can… while also… looking like he’s bipartisan, district-focused, and far more “Illinoisan” than Trumpkin… and doing both, simultaneously and publicly.

Good luck with that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:15 pm
News flash to Rep Davis: Rural hospitals have been under threat for years

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/19/us-rural-hospital-closures-report

I want to see the sourcing on this claim - as in the actual, data-driven, thoroughly-researched sourcing.

Comment by dbk Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:25 pm
Based on what I’ve seen from the Davis camp in the last few weeks this might be it for Rodney. Seems to look like the ticket splitters that keep sending him back ain’t splitting the ticket this time

Comment by ILLannoyed Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:37 pm
Good thing political ads aren’t subject to any standards because this one fails even the easiest standards of truthiness. What a bunch of malarkey.

Agree with Willy. Barely a C-.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:50 pm
This Democrat voted for plenty of Republicans in this area (Larry Bomke, Ray Poe, Judy Baar Topinka to name a few state types). And I probably would have voted for Rodney Davis again had he not aligned himself with Trump so quickly after disavowing Trump in 2016. The hypocrisy. I’m done with him.

Comment by Cheswick Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:58 pm
This is hilarious.

The Republican who voted to repeal Obamacare wants us to believe that Londrigan, a mother whose primary reason for running was her son’s illness that could have bankrupt had family had they not had insurance, wants to take away our healthcare.

This ain’t moving the needle, Rodney.

Comment by GPB Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 12:59 pm
Rural hospital closures have been happening for more than a decade. There are currently 56 counties in Illinois with no ICU beds.

Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 1:11 pm
“Davis needs to embrace Trump as tight as he can… while also… looking like he’s bipartisan, district-focused…”

Exactly what Bost is doing in Illinois-12. It ain’t working. Not this time.

Comment by Southern Observer Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 1:53 pm
==“Davis needs to embrace Trump as tight as he can… while also… looking like he’s bipartisan, district-focused…”

Exactly what Bost is doing in Illinois-12. It ain’t working. Not this time.==

And if Davis pulls it off again, look for him and Bost to likely get mapped together–and a possible primary matchup–18 months from now.

Comment by Chatham Resident Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 2:08 pm
==“Davis needs to embrace Trump as tight as he can… while also… looking like he’s bipartisan, district-focused…”

Exactly what Bost is doing in Illinois-12. It ain’t working. Not this time.==

And if Davis pulls it off again, look for him and Bost to likely get mapped together–and a possible primary matchup–18 months from now.

Comment by Chatham Resident Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 2:08 pm
=== look for him and Bost===

I see Mary Miller eyeing Bost or Davis than giving Mary Miller, not even thru her first term, the easiest path back to DC.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 2:11 pm
Wish I had the chance to vote against him instead of being stuck in the LaHood vote sink.

Whoever wins will be running in a vastly different district next time though.

Even if Betsy wins it needs to change to work better for Dems.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 2:59 pm
Davis is really starting to go negative in his ads. That tells me that he knows the race is getting tight. I’d like to see Londrigan pull it out this time.

Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 3:09 pm
===== look for him and Bost===

I see Mary Miller eyeing Bost or Davis than giving Mary Miller, not even thru her first term, the easiest path back to DC.==

I could also see the remappers decide to map Bost, Davis, Miller, and LaHood into two GOP sinks. But with Bost vs. Davis and Miller vs. LaHood in the primaries.

Then trying again with a thinner and more enlongated Dem-leaning seat from Cairo northward to SIUC, Metro East/SIUE, whatever remaining D strongholds exist in Macoupin/Montgomery/Christian, most of Springfield, Decatur, Chambana, and Danville. Maybe even stretch it up to Kankakee via Hopkins Park; or to B/N and ISU (unless it’s moved into the new 17th). With another thin arm stretching from the Metro East toward Jacksonville (Illinois College) and Beardstown (large Hispanic population) and maybe towards WIU and Canton/Farmington (Fulton County).

Comment by Chatham Resident Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 3:16 pm
If Trump’s down 7 that’s a tough hill to climb for Rep. Davis. Would like to see one of their internals to compare. Yet, if Londrigan campaign says despite Trump being down 7 that Davis is still up 1, that shows he can still pull it out even if Trump loses. While I’m sure Betsy’s camp. is excited that their internals show the race is close, they can’t be thrilled that they’re under performing Biden by 8 points. That would indicate a ton of Biden/Davis tickets.

Comment by CubsFan16 Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 3:37 pm
===I could also see the remappers decide to map Bost, Davis, Miller, and LaHood into two GOP sinks. But with Bost vs. Davis and Miller vs. LaHood in the primaries===

As a courtesy, the congresscritters work to make a map most won’t disagree.

Just eliminating Miller’s seat leaves 4 GOP seats.

It’s far more smarter to secure the seats of Underwood and Casten and eliminating the Miller seat.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 5:09 pm
This is what offends me. These sorts of congressional districts are so closely divided that you would think that whoever holds the seat would try and appease both sides of the aisle.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 8:34 pm
Davis refuses to meet with his constituents in Champaign-Urbana since CU is blue.

Comment by filmmaker prof Wednesday, Sep 23, 20 @ 9:27 pm