Central Illinois Prepares for Presidential Hopefuls

EAST PEORIA - Central Illinois will soon be the hotspot for a pair of presidential hopefuls.

Former senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum will host a rally in East Peoria on Monday.

East Peoria's police chief Ed Papis says plans are in place to secure the area around Davis Brother's Pizza, where Santorum plans to visit.

He says Washington St. may be blocked off throughout the day and extra officers will be out to patrol traffic.

Secret service has not given him final instructions about the candidate's visit. But he expects things to run smoothly.  He says it may be a little hectic, but nothing East Peoria hasn't seen before.

"We're not foreign to dignitaries coming in. So we pretty much have our game place together. (We're) just putting the right people in the right places, and coordinating that with the secret service,"

Santorum is expected to arrive at Davis Bros. Pizza at noon on Monday.

Finish Line Ford in Peoria is prepping for former governor Mitt Romney.

Romney will be in Peoria to support a fundraiser for Congressman Aaron Schock. Finish Line Ford says it's been frantically trying to get things together ever since Schock's office requested to use its space.

Ashley Bradshaw, the dealership's general manager, says workers employees will be busy sweeping floors and moving cars and furniture to make room.

She says everything else, from photographers to catering, is set. Bradshaw says the process has been a hassle and changes are still possible.    

"Yea there's a lot to do for it. And especially when we think they are probably going to be all set up and the secret service comes in and it's going to be whatever they say. So you never know. We can be all set and ready to go and they could say un-uh you need to move this, and you gotta' move that.," Bradshaw said."

Finish Line Ford says it should know more about security and when Romney will arrive by Friday.

The fundraiser will take place Monday afternoon.