ROCK FALLS, Illinois — Illinois State Representative Tony McCombie is hitting the campaign trail for the third time. She was first elected back in 2016 for the Illinois House of Representatives.
"I'm just beginning," she says. "I'm not even close to being done."
She says her re-election campaign has changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her team has shifted to some contactless campaigning, like mail and digital outreach, along with text messaging programs. Once Illinois started to reopen over the summer, door knocking started for her campaign.
"Door knocking is also very different," State Representative McCombie says. "We have parents who don't want kids to be volunteering, and we have older people who feel like they shouldn't volunteer. Then there's people who don't want to answer the door."
She says the fundraising events held in person have been modified to be smaller and safer, and she says her team provides face masks and hand sanitizer to those attending.
"I get beat up a little bit because I'm still continuing fundraising and doing what I have to do, but it's part of this process," State Representative McCombie says.
Her democratic opponent is Joan Padilla, and this is her second time running against State Representative McCombie. She says she cancelled her in-person fundraisers this year, opting for virtual events to raise money.
"We do have to raise money to reach the voters but I feel if I'm going to be a leader, a representative, I need to show by example," she says.
Padilla says she's also bulled back on her door knocking.
"It's (making) phone calls, it's getting online and doing a mail campaign," she says.
Padilla did lose the 2018 election against State Representative McCombie, by 59 to 41 percent.
"When you're called to serve your community, you should still do it whether you're successful or not," she says.
Each candidate says she has a different view on governing.
"I don't believe taxing to our prosperity is the way to grow the 71st District or the state," State Representative McCombie says. "I believe in structural and political reforms and less government."
"It's not that I want fat government or large government," Padilla says. "I just want government to be efficient and do what it needs to do. And right now, in the time of pandemic, we're seeing to fruition that government is essential in our lives."
Illinois' 71st District represents a section of Northwestern Illinois, including cities like Port Byron, Rock Falls and Savanna.