Erika Harold, a Republican candidate for congress, was targeted in racially charged attack by Jim Allen, a Republican official in Illinois, who has now apologized, according to published reports. Erika Harold is an African American attorney and a former Miss America.

Jim Allen, a chairman for the Illinois Republican Party, apologized after he unleashing a racially insensitive attack on Erika Harols, a black female congressional candidate.

Montgomery County Republican Party chairman Jim Allen sent an email to Chicago attorney Doug Ibendahl, who runs the independent website Republican News Watch that was insensitive about the former Miss America and GOP congressional candidate. Erika Harold announced that she would mount a primary challenge against Republican Representative Rodney Davis next year. Jim Allen supports Rodney Davis.

In the email, Jim Allen said, "Rodney Davis will win and the love child of the D.N.C. will be back in Shitcago by May of 2014 working for some law firm that needs to meet their quota for minority hires. The little queen touts her abstinence and she won the crown because she got bullied in school … boohoo ... kids are cruel, life sucks and you move on.. Now, miss queen is being used like a street walker and her pimps are the DEMOCRAT PARTY and RINO REPUBLICANS."

After the controversy Allen told the State Journal-Register, "My comments are very inappropriate and wrong, and I apologize to Miss Harold and her campaign and her supporters."

Rodney Davis’ supporters also tried to distance themselves from Jim Allen. Andrew Flach, a Davis spokesman, said in a statement that "Mr. Allen's comments are misguided and wrong and certainly do not reflect the views of Congressman Davis or his campaign. Our hope is that supporters for all of the candidates conduct themselves in a positive manner and focus on the issues facing our country as the campaign moves forward.”