Pizza Soldier

Schilling stands by GOP efforts.

Monday, April 2, 2012 | 1:17 p.m.

Rep. Bobby Schilling (R) says GOPers "are pleased with the plans they have put forward so far."

Schilling has "eagerly championed" the Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) budget. He "took issues" with Dem efforts "to paint some of the proposals as extreme, including Medicare reform that he said some Democrats have described as 'ending Medicare as you know it.'"

Schilling: "Remember that the key word is 'as you know it.' We have to do something with it. If we sit on our hands, it ends in 2021."

Schilling, on critics of the plan: "If you don't like our idea, show us a solution. . . . I'll take ideas from anybody."

He said he "recently sat down" with Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis (R) "to discuss the needs of the region if he should win re-election. The new 17th Congressional District includes Peoria roughly south of War Memorial Drive" as well as most of the Tazewell Co. communities bordering the IL River.

It also takes in many traditional Dem-leaning areas, "from South Peoria through" Fulton Co. locally, "as well as other similar locations in Rockford. Schilling said he's working to attract votes even in those constituencies."

Schilling: "We're going into areas where typically Republicans do not go."

"So that voters can meet him, question him and see that he's 'a regular guy'" (Kaergard, PeoriaJournal-Star, 3/30).