Justin's Political Corner

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on Sunday announced his endorsement of Democrat David Gill in the 13th Congressional District race.

Durbin, who lives in the newly redrawn 13th District, held a media event in front of Memorial Medical Center alongside Gill, saying the emergency room physician from Bloomington is the most qualified candidate to help deal with the future of Medicaid and Medicare.

Durbin said Gill’s Republican opponent, Rodney Davis of Taylorville, supports the budget proposal advanced by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., which Durbin said would slash money available to hospitals and reduce the amount of Medicaid payments to the state of Illinois from $13 billion to $8 billion.

Gill lost three elections to Johnson in the existing 15th Congressional District, but now is running in the new 13th, which includes part of Springfield.

Gill said, as a start to fixing the nation’s budget deficit, he supports higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans to increase revenue.

“This Republican budget will slash money for hospital and likely leave some towns without a hospital,” Gill said. “Those hospitals serve as economic engines and frequently employ 200 or 300 people and serve as largest employers in their county.”

h/t: State Journal-Register