A negative mailer that recently hit House District 114 mailboxes describing Republican Kevin Schmidt as "extreme," and that "he voted to eliminate funding for seniors' in-home health care" seemed to come as a surprise to the challenger.
"I have never held public office," Schmidt posted on social media Oct. 8. "These folks are out of control."
In seeking to unseat the three-term incumbent, Schmidt, a board certified chiropractor, is focusing heavily on Greenwood's voting record, which he describes as "radical."
One of the issues he confronts Greenwood with is her support for the controversial SAFE-T Act, which will end the state's cash bail system effective Jan. 1. It's the subject of approximately 50 lawsuits filed by state's attorneys and is dominating debates in campaigns across the state.
Litigation against the Act in part argues the law is unconstitutional because it violates the rights of crime victims.
Schmidt argues that it is going to "bury" law enforcement officials in paperwork.
"...Officers arresting someone for a crime may be looking at 6-8 hours of paperwork for that one arrest," he posted. "Officers should be on the streets not in an office filling out paperwork."
Schmidt favors repealing the law.
A dramatic mailer critical of Greenwood's support for the SAFE-T Act shows an image of a shooter with the header, "Why is crime on the rise in Illinois?" On the flip side, Greenwood is pictured with text: "LaToya Greenwood voted with the anti-police extremists for disastrous soft on crime legislation...Vote against anti-police extremists who will put criminals over families."
Greenwood defends her vote on the bill, saying the criminal justice reform legislation has had "many falsehoods ascribed" to it.
"First, there is a claim made that the legislation was rushed through the General Assembly, without appropriate consideration - that's just not true," she wrote in an open letter for constituents.
"This bill is the result of nine public hearings, thirty hours of testimony and countless meetings with law enforcement professionals, trial lawyers, prosecutors, community members and many other groups from across the state."
She also says that it's a "false narrative" that the legislation "looks to defund or totally dissolve the police."
"There is a claim that this bill will cause an increase in crime to our municipalities.
"It does not prevent a judge from revoking pretrial release, nor does it all those that are charged with a serious offense and are a risk to a person or the community or at risk of willful flight to be released."
Schmidt also is critical of Greenwood's vote for the Clean and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which he says, "is directly responsible for a shortage of available power in Illinois. Electric bills have doubled for many residents throughout the 114th District and the prices are only going up - not down."
Citing analysis of public school spending that is nearly $30,000 per pupil in Chicago - and $18,106 in East St. Louis - Schmidt also takes aim at Greenwood for not demanding accountability from the education system.
"We can all agree spending money on education is extremely important, but we should not be spending money simply for the sake of spending money," Schmidt said.
Greenwood touts her work on the House "budget team," saying she helped pass a balanced budget that provided $18.83 billion in tax relief for familes, including suspending the grocery tax for one year, freezing the motor fuel tax for six months, providing a one time property tax rebate up to $300 per household, expanding the earned income tax credit and giving direct rebate checks to working families - that arrived weeks before next month's election.
The 114th House district includes East St. Louis to the west, runs south to New Athens, goes northeast to Lebanon and includes parts of O'Fallon.
Schmidt this year has raised $70,647, about a third of which came from loans he made to his committee.
Greenwood has raised nearly $300,000 this year, more than half of which, $160,336, has come since July 1.