A Downstate Illinois GOP county chairman resigned today after likening former Miss America Erika Harold, who’s challenging a sitting Republican congressman in next year’s primary election, to a “street walker” whose “pimps” were Democrats and moderate Republicans.

Jim Allen of Farmersville, the chairman of the Montgomery County GOP, sent the resignation letter today to new Illinois Republican Chairman Jack Dorgan. Dorgan called Allen’s remarks “offensive and inappropriate.”

Allen, who supports freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of Taylorville, made his remarks in an e-mail to a supporter of Harold. She is the 2003 Miss America from Urbana and a former Chicago attorney.

In the e-mail, which was later posted online, Allen referred to Harold as a “little queen” and the “love child” of the Democratic National Committee. Allen also wrote that after losing the 2014 March primary Harold would end up back in Chicago —- though he used a derogatory spelling —- “working for some law firm that needs to meet their quota for minority hires.” Harold is African American.

Allen later acknowledged to the State Journal-Register of Springfield that his comments were “very inappropriate” and said he had apologized to Harold and her supporters. Allen was unavailable for comment today.

More: Illinois GOP Official Resigns After Calling Former Miss America ‘Street Walker’