* Bernie Sanders also won the 13th Ward, but there’s been no word from Speaker Madigan about what he plans to do. Lynn Sweet…
Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., a “superdelegate” to the Democratic National Convention, said if there is a contested convention, he will be for Bernie Sanders because he won his congressional district in the Illinois primary.
Every Illinois House member is a superdelegate, a nickname given to the Democratic Party honchos who automatically are delegates to the convention, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia July 25-28. […]
“As a Democratic member of Congress, I have a vote at the Democratic National Convention as a superdelegate. Before the Illinois primary I told Democrats in the 3rd District that I decided that I would pledge my vote to whichever candidate won the district,” Lipinski told the Sun-Times in an email.
“When the votes were counted, Sen. Bernie Sanders received 54 percent and Secretary Hillary Clinton received 45 percent in my district. Therefore, if there is a contested vote at the Democratic National Convention in July, I will vote for Sen. Sanders.”
If that doesn’t make your head spin, I don’t know what will. I mean the logic is sound, but Lipinski isn’t otherwise a hipster Bernie dude.
* And speaking of the convention, here’s Lynn Sweet again…
Duckworth said she will attend the Democratic National Convention, which runs from July 25-28 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. I’m expecting Duckworth to be assigned a prime-time speaking slot
* Meanwhile, Lynn Sweet looks at a Mark Kirk superpac…
The Independent Voice for Illinois has raised $868,100 since it was founded last year and has $663,204 cash on hand. Its main expense is payments to a firm run by Eric Elk, Kirk’s former chief of staff.
“The Independent Voice for Illinois PAC works to elect individuals who represent the common sense values of Prairie State citizens,” Elk told me in an email.
The biggest donation to the group, $100,000, came from the Ohio-based Murray Energy Corp., whose chairman, Robert Murray, donated to Kirk’s 2010 Senate campaign.
Sweet gets more political scoops per person-hour than anyone I know.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 12:49 pm:
Supporting Sanders is like hoping your cat can drive your car because he is so adorable!
- Anon - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:00 pm:
===but Lipinski isn’t otherwise a hipster Bernie dude.===
In the end he chose the position that’s easiest to defend and doesn’t actually require a real endorsement. This is a pretty good example of a straight forward political decision. Especially since he’s probably going to get a national press hit out of this.
- AC - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:03 pm:
As long as we have superdelegates, I hope the rest of them become as as interested in the will of the voters.
- A guy - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:06 pm:
It doesn’t shock me that Lip Jr. feels the Bern. It does shock me that he’s announcing it now.
- BD - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:14 pm:
@AC, you must be supporting Hillary because that is what the will of the voters is saying.
- Been There - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:20 pm:
Old man Lipinski didn’t like Bill. Probably extends from that. His district also voted for Bernie delegates. There were still OMalley delegates on the ballot though that probably swayed the difference.
- Past Blaster - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:21 pm:
Those who lived in Chicago in the 1980s will remember this. Makes a cute ringtone:
http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/BU/8_-_Bernie_Brothers_Bakers.mp3
- Northsider - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:22 pm:
Who thinks the Democrats will have a contested primary?
- AC - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:26 pm:
BD - not for Lipinski’s district:
“When the votes were counted, Sen. Bernie Sanders received 54 percent and Secretary Hillary Clinton received 45 percent in my district. Therefore, if there is a contested vote at the Democratic National Convention in July, I will vote for Sen. Sanders.”
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:30 pm:
==- A guy - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:06 pm:==
He’s probably being inundated from BS people. A lot of superdelegates are constantly getting calls from BS people at campaign and official offices about it.
- BD - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:50 pm:
Right AC, but right now HRC has about 2.5 million more votes than BS.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
–“The Independent Voice for Illinois PAC works to elect individuals who represent the common sense values of Prairie State citizens,” Elk told me in an email.–
Geez, no one talks like that. Why do political types think they have to communicate like Martian is their first language?
- Grimm - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:02 pm:
BD - could you please tell me where you got those numbers?
- Senator Clay Davis - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:04 pm:
“if there is a contested vote at the Democratic National Convention in July, I will vote for Sen. Sanders.”
That’s a big if. It’s already very unlikely Bernie can make up the lead Hillary has over him, and the NY results today could make that harder. Including the caveat that he’ll vote for Bernie IF there’s a contested convention lets him play both sides: make the Berniacs happy now, but then vote for Hillary at the convention.
- BD - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:54 pm:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/democratic_vote_count.html
Exact spread: Clinton +2,403,659
- Huh? - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 4:33 pm:
Lipinski - Grow a backbone and support Sanders as a super delegate.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 5:04 pm:
at this point in the 2008 race, Hillary was closer in delegates to Obama than Bernie is to Hillary now. She was also winning some big primaries at the end. but the drumbeat was for her to drop out. and super delegates switched to Obama. why is there a double standard?
- Amalia - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 9:51 pm:
the NYDaily News Bernie edit board interview transcript shows why super delegates will not switch. He’s a lightweight who can describe a problem but has no real clue how to solve it. His answers were those of a college student. embarrassing. gives super delegates real pause.