LaHood and Sanguinetti make campaign stops in Lincoln

 

[November 03, 2018] 

On Thursday evening United States Representative for the Illinois 18th District, Darin LaHood made a campaign stop in Lincoln. LaHood hosted a meet and greet at the new Sorrento’s Restaurant in the heart of the city.

Several guests came to visit with Representative LaHood and also spent time visiting with Illinois Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti and Illinois Representative Tim Butler. Guests were also treated to a buffet of pizza prepared by the popular restaurant and provided by LaHood.

Sorrento's owner Jim Drew visits with Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti

Most of the time was spent in one-on-one conversation between the three elected officials and guests, but LaHood did call the group to order for a few minutes, allowing Sanguinetti speak first then addressing the group himself.

Sanguinetti along with Governor Bruce Rauner are running for re-election next week, and the push is on to bring out the Republican vote for the incumbents. Sanguinetti addressed the group, repeating many of the issues that are currently being used in local campaign advertising. She noted what she and the governor consider to be successes in their first four years of office. She also talked about what the Republican Party and the Governor’s campaign consider to be weaknesses and faults in the JB Pritzker campaign.

She spoke out strongly against the Pritzker proposed mileage tax and said that if Pritzker gets this tax every car will have a big brother little green box reporting back to the government the miles we drive. She urged voters to vote against Pritzker, if for nothing else, to stop the mileage tax.

LaHood also spoke briefly urging the Republican Party to get out and vote. He noted that historically when a Republican president is elected, then two years later the shift of power in congress will go to the Democrats. He said the republicans need to get out and vote and push hard to keep a republican majority in congress.

LaHood fielded a number of questions including queries about the most recent announcement by President Trump regarding naturalized citizenship or birth right citizenship.

LaHood said he supported the idea that there needs to be something done about the terms of citizenship. Trump is taking the position that just because a child is born in the United States that should not automatically make them a citizen of this country. LaHood said what he did take exception to was the means by which Trump was delivering this message. He said that the president should not be permitted to take this action by executive order. Otherwise, LaHood said it is an issue that needs to be addressed, but by other methods.

LaHood also said that trade agreements are critical to the future of the country, and he plans to continue working toward establishing reasonable trade agreements that will work for agriculture and production in the United States.

LaHood kept his speech portion of the evening short, choosing to instead spend the greater part of the evening visiting with folks individually.

The meet and greet was well attended with several local officials on hand, as well as a number of interested citizens.

Elections will be held this coming Tuesday, November 6th. The Logan County Courthouse – County Clerk’s Office is open until noon today for early and absentee voting. The Clerk’s Office will also be open on election Day for election business only, all other transactions requiring the services of the County Clerk should be completed on Monday or later in the week.

[Nila Smith]