Aaron Schock gets an endorsement from the Illinois Farm Bureau today.

This despite democratic candidate Colleen Callahan's background in agricultural broadcasting.

Colleen Callahan is a veteran agricultural reporter with a lifetime involved in farming.

She says today's endorsement of Aaron Schock was made based on party affiliation.

During a news conference this morning, Milton Smith, President of the Peoria County Farm Bureau said, "we are here today to announce that the Illinois Agriculture Association Activator is endorsing Aaron Schock."

A big endorsement for the congressional hopeful, the Farm Bureau says will be accompanied by a check.

"The support here today means a lot to me not only for this election but I think it demonstrates the fact that they think I've done a good job over the last four years in the state assembly" said Aaron Schock, the 18th district Republican congressional candidate.

Activator, the Farm Bureau's political involvement committee says they held extensive interviews with all of the candidates.

In the end they felt Schock had a better command of Agricultural issues.

"My career has spanned a 35-year effort representing agriculture" said Colleen Callahan, the Democratic congressional candidate.

Schock's democratic opponent is an agricultural broadcasting veteran.

She believes the Farm Bureau was not looking for experience, but rather someone with the right political affiliation.

"In this race, they supported an individual who has republican behind his name... Clearly a partisan choice", said Callahan.

During the news conference reporters asked the Peoria County Farm Bureau President as well as an Activator trustee why the board chose Schock over Callahan.

The response...a little vague.

"ummm...this is Aaron's uuuuhh...conference" said the Farm Bureau President.

"The uuuuhh...uuuhhh...US Congress here, and we endorsed him so, you know, we're backing Aaron", said Hazel Fritz, Activator Trustee.

Although Callahan did not receive the support of the Farm Bureau, she points to an endorsement she received last week.

It was from the Illinois Federation of Teachers...even though Schock used to be District 150 school board President.