ROCKFORD (WIFR) -- One of the longest tenured members of the Illinois House endorses one of newest members of the US House.

Illinois Assemblyman Dave Winters says he believes Adam Kinzinger is the right man to move the 16th US Congressional district forward. The thirty-three year old Kinzinger is the 4th youngest out of 435 US Congressman. He currently serves the 11th district, but due to redistricting, Kinzinger is now up against 10 term Congressman Don Manzullo in the hotly contested 16th District Republican primary.

“We can no longer accept the premise that Rockford no longer be among the highest unemployment in the nation,” says Kinzinger. “My opponent actually made that comment in the media. He said, "Well I've represented an area with the largest unemployment in the nation for a long time. And I think that needs to be the call to arms to say we've got to turn this around."

Winters has served in the State Assembly for 18 years, but he's retiring at the end of the year. The Illinois primary is Tuesday, March 20th, which is exactly 50 days away.