Davis Unveils Jobs Plan, Edgar Endorses

Congressional candidate Rodney Davis says an extension of current tax rates and removing government regulation will mean the the survival of small employers.

The 13th District Republican used a factory in Champaign Wednesday to unveil his jobs plan. 

Davis said polls of business owners show federal regulations as one of the top issues hurting the work environment, and those include the Affordable Care Act.

"I believe that we need the regulatory environment to keep our workers safe, to keep our environment safe," he said. "But the folks in charge right now have gone overboard, and what we need in Washington is an experience leader, somebody who's going to understand how to maneuver through the federal bureaucracy and begin the process of actually going in and doing a cost benefit analysis on all of them that are there, and any new ones."

Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar said Davis has the same background as the small business owners he’s fighting for. Edgar formally endorsed the 13th District Republican Wednesday, but had announced his support in an earlier press release. 

The former governor cites Davis’ active role in his home of Taylorville, reaching out to other business owners during his campaign, and experience as an aide to Congressman John Shimkus. Edgar calls the economy the number one issue.

“In knowing how Washington can help and also knowing how Washington can be obstacle if people don’t do the right things, I think would be a big asset for this district," Edgar said.

Davis said he wants to work with colleges to make sure training programs are in place, providing employers like HL Precision Machining in Champaign with qualified applicants.

HL Precision Machining CEO Steve Hillard said portions of the Affordable Care Act already in place are already hurting health care costs at his plant.

Davis opponent and Bloomington Democrat David Gill has laid out a business plan that he said ends tax breaks for outsources, and rolls back bad trade deals that export jobs overseas.

Davis said he wants to know more about what his opponent considers bad trade. He said overseas commerce is the key to large Illinois employers like Caterpillar.

The Republican said anyone who fails to see the importance of such activity shouldn’t be pursuing a seat in Congress.

Independent candidate John Hartman is also pursuing the 13th District Congressional seat.