Vice President Mike Pence In Chicago To Promote Tax Cuts, Support Rep. Peter Roskam
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner introduced Vice President Mike Pence in Rosemont Friday.
Pence was in Rosemont to give the keynote address at a campaign event called "Tax Cuts To Put America First." It was the 17th stop in Pence's trip that is hosted by America First Policies.
At the event, Pence spoke to the crowd about multiple issues, including immigration, trade, and tax cuts.
Pence spent part of the day on the campaign trail raising money for 6th District Congressman Peter Roskam.
As CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez reports, one person was notably absent from the fundraiser: Peter Roskam.
Roskam is being challenged by democrat Sean Casten.
"He's taken a strong stand for conservative values every day since he was first elected in 2006," stated Vice President Mike Pence, speaking about Roskam with high praise at a tax policy event.
A protestor asked what many may had been thinking: Where is Roskam?
Just before the event Mr. Pence attended a fundraiser to benefit Congressman Roskam, but left without ever seeing him since he was not there.
A spokesperson for the congressman said: "Representative Roskam is in Washington, D.C. doing the job that voters of the 6th District elected him to do. His participation and presence was always contingent on votes."
At his opponent's Downers Grove campaign office, Democratic candidate Sean Casten had another theory.
"It is notable that Roskam isn't there," said Casten. "Because he knows that this is not a district that supports the agenda that Trump and Pence are leading."
Casten said Roskam is hiding his true colors in a district that strongly favored Hillary Clinton in the last presidential election.
"Roskam wants his money, but Roskam doesn't want to associate himself with what they're doing," Casten stated.
Some of his Republican constituents agreed.
"It's a little disheartening that he won't align himself with our President. I do hope that in this coming election he will turn that around," stated Matthew Rundgren.
Roskam is hoping for a seventh term. The DuPage County District has sent Republicans to Washington since the 1960s, yet Democrat Sean Casten's internal polls have the race a dead heat.
The race is on the national watch list, with at least one industry group running TV ads in support of Roskam.
