CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Illinois Republicans said their national convention this week has been in stark contrast with what was heard and seen at the Democratic National Convention just a week earlier.
In a GOP livestream, Central Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis said Republicans were able to show a different side to the GOP - one a far cry from what Democrats have described. He said Republicans show they are diverse and caring, as well as effective.Richard Porter, the Illinois GOP National Committeeman attended President Trump’s acceptance speech. He quarrels with the dark view he said Democrats hold of America’s History. And he said Americans are basically good. At this convention the Republicans have suggested that Democrats think less of average Americans.
RELATED: Illinois Republicans Look To The Campaign Ahead | IL GOP Leaders Look To Strengthen Party With OutreachAs the Republican National Convention was ending, Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood expressed the hope that at some point the political animosity will lessen.
Peoria Congressman Darin LaHood was in Washington for President Trump’s acceptance speech. He acknowledged there’d been a lot of harsh words directed at Democrats during the Republican convention. But, he pointed to Democrats the week before. He said they were equally harsh.
"The Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention - there are things that are blown out of proportion, there's lots of political language that is used, but allow you to view which direction the country is going to go on things that people are concerned about," he said.
For his part, LaHood hopes the tone will improve. He said polarization isn't good.
"Unfortunately, we are a polarized country right now, politically, and there maybe is a lot of reasons for that, and listen, I hope we can move away from that. I think polarization isn't good," he said.
But with the real campaign still ahead, there is probably no chance of calmer rhetoric before the election.
Central Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis is, again, facing a well-financed challenge from Democrat Betsy Londrigan. And he is solidly behind President Trump, whom he said has proven that he can get, and keep the nation’s economy on the right track.
"I saw it work. It was great to work with him and his administration in setting the policies that led to that historic economic growth and historic low unemployment, but we need more Republicans elected to Congress, of course," he said.
To that end, on a party livestream, he urged other Republicans to help the campaign of Esther Joy King, who’s running for the 17th District Congressional seat, now occupied by Cheri Bustos. Not only is Bustos the incumbent, but she heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, whose job is to elect more Democrats.
But King said voters are hearing the message of the GOP loud and clear.
"People here in the Illinois 17th, they want to get back to work, they want to just...the government needs to get out of our way, we want to live our lives, we want to build our community, have a great life for our family, and that is still at the top of people's minds," she said.