The Illinois Senate president encouraged loval Democrats to support Sen. Pat Welch, D-Peru, and other Democratic candidates in an appearance at Eduardo’s restaurant Thursday night.

State Sen. Philip Rock, D-Oak Park, said he was visiting DeKalb Democrats to “provide moral support and encouragement” for Welch’s re-election. Rock said Welch has done a “remarkably good job” as Senate Energy and Environmental committee chairman and Appropriations II committee vice chairman.

When asked about the rift between Welch and the House Environmental committee chairman on a House landfill bill, Rock expressed concern. He sympathized with the bill’s sponsor, House chairman Myron Kulas, D-Chicago, but agreed with Welch that the bill was unacceptable in its present form.

Welch said House bill 4013 would open up small communities to exploitation by waste management companies.

In a speech to the Democrats, Rock emphasized the importance of re-electing Welch to ensure the slim Democratic Senate majority during the upcoming district reapportionments.

Facing Illinois’ probable loss of tw U.S. House seats, Rock said “it’s better if we have two Democratic houses and a Democratic governor” to ensure that the Democratic constituency is reflected in a “constitutionally sound” way. This includes creating a district for the first Hispanic U.S. Representative from Chicago, he said.

Rock said the party culd win all the major state offices this year. “We don’t have turkey on the ticket,” he said to a round of applause.

Welch was in a Business and Professional Women’s Club forum in Streator, Illinois with Republican challenger Nancy Beasley and could not appear.