Central Illinois Republican congressman Rodney Davis is asking a campaign official to step down from his party position after writing what's been called a racist email about Davis' primary challenger.
Montgomery County GOP Chairman Jim Allen wrote an email suggesting Erika Harold could fill a "minority quota'' if she lost the Republican primary. The bi-racial Harvard law school graduate was crowned Miss America in 2003 and launched her campaign bid this month.
Allen's note referred to Harold as a "street walker'' and "love child'' of Democrats and was posted on a Republican blogger's website. Davis says he was stunned by the comments saying they were out of his control:
"He's never talked to me in any sort of manner like that since I have ever known him. I have not had a chance to talk with him. I would hope he is incredibly disappointed by the incredibly, incredibly wrong comments that he made."
Davis went on to call the comments "asinine." Allen has apologized for the message. His name has been removed from a list of Davis supporters on the campaign website. (AP/WUIS)