Trump endorsed Illinois Rep. Mary Miller than Rep. Rodney Davis

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WASHINGTON – Jumping into Illinois politics, former President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Mary Miller on Saturday, setting up a bruising 2022 GOP primary with Rep. Rodney Davis, who was a co-chair of Trump’s re-election campaign in the state.

The difference between Miller and Davis-who told me a few weeks ago on the Sun-Times “At the Table” show that he would welcome Trump’s support-is that Miller, a freshman, is from the far end. right MAGA wing of the Republican party. which includes Miller’s friend, Trump acolyte, election denier and conspiracy theory peddler Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.

Davis and Miller are both conservative. Miller, from Oakland, is the highest -ranking elected official in Illinois promoting Trumpism.

Davis, who is seeking a sixth term, climbed the GOP House leadership ladder and flirted with running as governor. Davis is known for collaborating with members of both parties.

Trump’s move comes as he seeks intra-party primaries to increase the number of Trump-loyal MAGA Republicans in the House ahead of his expected 2024 White House comeback bid.

Within the same time on Saturday afternoon, Trump announced his endorsement of Miller and Miller said he would run from the new 15th congressional district in support of Trump.

Trump said Miller is “doing an amazing job representing the people of Illinois! Strong on Election Security, the Second Amendment, and our Military and Vets, Mary is a champion of our America First agenda. “She is fighting hard against Joe Biden’s open borders, runaway inflation, and the radical indoctrination of our children. Mary has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

Miller said in a statement, “I am proud to be the only member of Congress from Illinois fighting to impeach Joe Biden and the lawless Biden Cabinet for leaving our border exposed to an aggression. of illegal immigration. ”

Miller and his wife, state representative Chris Miller, R-Oakland, were in Jan. 6 Trump rally preceded the Capitol insurrection. Miller spoke at the rally – that’s what he said: “Hitler was right about something,” even though he later apologized.

In a statement, Davis campaign spokesman Aaron DeGroot said all Miller should show for his time in Congress was to quote Hitler and vote with Democrats like the AOC and the left-most squad to turn “Defund our military and block the pay rise for our troops. It’s embarrassing. It’s clear that Mary Miller is just talk, no action.”

Both Miller and the progressive leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, voted against the new defense bill that funds the military.

DeGroot cited Trump for calling Davis “a conservative who does things. He’s been hard at work highlighting his conservative accomplishments and has worked with President Trump during his tenure. That’s why he’s got support from to countless grassroots Republican leaders in the district. Our campaign hopes to educate voters on how Rodney is an effective conservative member of Congress and Mary is not. “

Miller, on his release, also noted his efforts to throw at the House Republican conference Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., And Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.

The two accepted appointments from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the committee on Jan. 6 reviewing the attack on the Capitol from Trump supporters seeking to prevent Congress from declaring Joe Biden as the election winner.

Illinois lost a congressional seat to redistribution after the 2020 Census. In their remap, the state Democrats, who control the process, dumped GOP incumbents Miller, Davis of Taylorville and Rep. Mike Bost from Murphysboro in two districts in central and southern Illinois.

Davis said he will run from the new 15th at the end of November, launching the endorsements of 32 of the 35 GOP party chairmen in the district.

Bost, also a 2020 Illinois Trump co-chair, is running from the new 12th.

State Democratic mappers have created a custom GOP district suitable for Davis – and one with no other incumbent – as an incentive to take him away from the gubernatorial race in 2022, for which he is seeking another term. Gov. JB Pritzker.

Miller does not live in the new 15th district. Candidates do not have to reside in the district they want to represent. Miller grew up in Naperville, the suburb of Chicago, graduating from Naperville Central High School in 1977.

DeGroot said Miller is “just an outsider in the sense that he doesn’t live in the 15th District. He is a carpetbagger and from Chicagoland. ”

In Trump’s desire for revenge, Kinzinger, from Channahon in northern Illinois, decided not to run again.

Davis is not advocating for Kinzinger and Cheney to be eliminated from the GOP House conference.

Unlike Kinzinger and Cheney, Davis did not vote to impeach Trump in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Miller’s decision to challenge Davis was not a surprise. Last month I reported that Miller campaign senior adviser Isaiah Wartman – Greene’s political adviser and 2020 campaign manager – was focused on Davis. Wartman criticized Davis for not wanting to kick Kinzinger and Cheney out of the House GOP conference on their Jan. 6 panel membership.

As of Sept. 30, Davis had $ 1,051,173 cash-on-hand compared to $ 426,769 for Miller.

Passage of the petition for the June 28 primary in Illinois will begin Jan. 13.

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