Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) endorsed Tom Demmer for State Representative during a stop in DeKalb County Tuesday.

Demmer is the Director of Strategic Planning and Government Relations at Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital in Dixon.

Brady said the state is facing two major issues that Demmer can help fix: Medicaid and pension reform.

“Tom brings a unique business background,” Brady said.

Demmer said he wants to “bring folks together in the healthcare industry” and look at ways to spend money on Medicaid more efficiently. He said pension reform is a “significant liability” the state has in the long term.

“We need to be a little more judicious in the kinds of promises we’re making going forward, knowing when we make those promises that we’re committing future generations to pay those bills,” Demmer said.

Demmer also said Illinois has a reputation for being unfriendly to businesses and he wants to change that so more jobs will come to the state.

“One of the biggest problems we’re facing right now is unemployment,” Demmer said. “It puts pressure on families.”

Brady and Demmer also stopped in Ogle and Lee Counties.