Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., called on a local GOP official to resign after calling the congressman’s primary opponent a “street walker” in an email.

Montgomery County GOP Chairman Joe Allen made several disparaging comments about former Miss America Erika Harold, who recently announced a primary challenge to Davis, in an email. Allen used explicit and racially charged language to describe Harold in an email published by a conservative blog in its entirety.“I am calling on him to resign,” Davis told reporters in a Thursday conference call. “As a party, we should be focused on working together even if we have disagreements.”

He went on to call Allen’s email “wrong,” “incredibly demeaning” and “dumb.” He repeatedly described Allen’s email as an unwelcome distraction from his work on the farm bill. (Illinois’ 13th is a downstate district that includes some rural areas.)

On a national level, the attacks on Harold come as the Republican Party is looking for ways to appeal to minorities and women.

But locally, Illinois Republican are frustrated with Harold and her political allies for challenging Davis in a competitive district. Davis won his first term last year by less than half a point.

National Democrats have already recruited a candidate, former judge Ann Callis, to run against the GOP nominee.

Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call rates this race as Toss Up/Tilt Republican.