West Central Reporter

Jonas Petty didn’t get the result he wanted in Tuesday’s Republican primary showdown against Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) in the 100th House District, but the Pittsfield businessman walked away convinced he stood up for the right issues.

“I talked about education and welfare reform,” Petty told the West Central Reporter after all the votes had been counted in his 74.05 percent to 24.95 percent drubbing at the hands of Davidsmeyer. “The biggest issue is how do we get people back to work. That’s where I’m going to concentrate going forward. I want to get people back in the workforce.”

Petty was gracious in tipping his hat to Davidsmeyer, offering him his assistance in any way he can on the issues they both agree on.

“The one thing that I can promote is I got beat on the fact he had some really good legislation when it comes to his fiscal charter," Petty said. "His reform legislation around his fiscal charter is something we’ve got to promote. I think that’s what gave him such a commanding lead. He won with that.”

Beyond that, Petty said he isn’t sure where he will go from here politically, or if he will seek to run again at some point.

“We’ll see,” he said. “We just took a big loss and it’s tough.”

Though he has never held public office, Petty impressed many during his run as a fiscal conservative who wasn’t afraid to have his voice heard on the issues that were important to him and his constituents.

He earned the endorsements from the Chicago Tribune and of Sen.Sam McCann (R-Planview).

“He (McCann) is so respected by his constituents for what he does and to think that he feels I can do the same is quite humbling,” Petty told West Central Reporter after snaring McCann’s support. “I want people to know that I am committed to being a voice for them. I have a degree of independence, but I’ll be working for them, serving for them.”

Petty said all his campaigning had left him even more convinced that lawmakers have to come up with a plan for dealing with all the state’s massive and still-growing debt load.

 “Figuring out our long-term is critical,” he said. “We have to stop funding things that don’t get results that benefit us as a whole. Foundationally speaking, we have to be willing to change things wherever we can.”

The 100th House District includes all or parts of Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon and Scott counties.