Adams County Democratic Party holds counter rally

QUINCY (WGEM) - Republicans were not the only ones who held a rally on Saturday in the Tri-States. The Adams County Democratic Party gathered Saturday at Clat Adams Park to host the Greater Illinois Democrats for Democracy Rally.

Macy Ferguson-Smith didn’t have a whole lot of time to prepare her speech for the rally.

“I got a text about it, a communication about it a couple weeks ago and more urgent as this week progressed,” Ferguson-Smith said.

But she said she was more than happy to be one of the several speakers at the rally.

“Today is an opportunity for not only the Democratic Party, but also like-minded individuals, to come together and amplify a message of unity and togetherness for the community,” Ferguson-Smith said.

Siblings Jayne Cioni and Randy Verticchio drove more than two hours to attend the rally.

Cioni is an eight-year lung cancer survivor. The pair came to the rally because they believe Democrats have a better approach to health care.

“And we need to be aware in this country that we still have a long way to go with health care, and the Democrats are leading the road in that,” Verticchio said.

Cioni and Verticchio, along with other Democrats, came to town to oppose former President Trump’s visit.

“Rather than have people celebrate him coming to Quincy, Illinois, or any place in Illinois or any place in this United States, we need to have him taken in front of a jury and be judged for the treasonous behavior that he exhibited,” Verticchio said.

Ferguson-Smith said she hopes one day, everyone can come together to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans.

“I don’t know what that’s going to look like, to get people into the same room safely, but you know, eventually, we are going to have to talk to one another and talk about what it is we’re disagreeing on and is there a middle ground,” Ferguson-Smith said. “I’m not sure. We’re not in the same room yet to talk.”

The Greater Illinois Democrats for Democracy Rally lasted about an hour.

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