Lipinski facing primary challenger
Monday, Apr 10, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski is headed for a primary challenge next year in the Southwest Side and southwest suburban 3rd Congressional District.
Marie Newman, a marketing consultant from La Grange, is looking to push a more progressive agenda. […]
Lipinski, who succeeded his father, Bill, holds a more social conservative ideology than most Chicago Democrats — specifically on issues involving abortion and women’s health care.
Newman was born in Beverly and raised in Palos Park. After years of working in advertising, she started her own consulting business.
* Press release…
In a message sent today to thousands of supporters across the 3rd Congressional District, Marie Newman announced that she is challenging Rep. Dan Lipinski in the Democratic Primary for Congress.
Newman, a small business owner, national anti-bullying and rights advocate, said she was inspired to run in the wake of the 2016 Presidential Election. After forming an exploratory committee and meeting with over 55 groups and community organizations, Newman declared today: “I’m in and I’m ready to go! And with your support, we will win this election!”
“On issue after issue that we care about, Dan Lipinski hasn’t been there for us,” Newman said. “He was the only Democrat from Illinois who voted against Obamacare. He takes three-quarters of his campaign money from Washington PACs and lobbyists, representing their interests instead of ours. As a result, he has done nothing to protect our healthcare rights and he ignores the small businesses that are the clear majority of businesses in our district.”
It’s going to be a tough fight to reclaim our seat in Congress from a family who’s held it for two generations,” Newman says. “But I’m confident that a campaign that puts our families first can overcome the insiders and special interests who are propping up the current Congressman.”
Newman was inspired to run after the 2016 Presidential election: “I woke up on November 9th knowing our world had turned upside-down. Many of the things we care about are no longer protected or respected. After participating in the Women’s March in Chicago, I knew I had to do more.”
Newman has advocated for national legislation on anti-bullying, gun safety, cancer research, and small business development, as well as being a job creator and multiple-time entrepreneur.
“This campaign will require the effort and energy of people and families from across our district who’ve been ignored for too long,” Newman said. “Together, we will work to protect and advance healthcare rights, Planned Parenthood, fair treatment of immigrants and their families, and to fight discrimination based on race, religion, gender or sexuality.”
She’s already started hiring staff. A former state House Democratic staffer who ran the primary campaign against Rep. Ken Dunkin will be involved, among others.
- Boone's is back - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:51 pm:
===A former state House Democratic staffer who ran the primary campaign against Rep. Ken Dunkin will be involved, among others===
Does that mean that MJM is giving his blessing on the challenge? Can’t imagine that’s the case.
- chi - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:59 pm:
Campaign strategy is Lipinski=Trump?
That’s a stretch…
- pawn - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
This is great news!
And Chi, when Lipinski helped keep a pro-Trump mayor in office, per Cap Fax last week and the Trib today, it is not such a leap.
- A guy - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:29 pm:
== “I woke up on November 9th knowing our world had turned upside-down===
And she’ll wake up the day after her primary knowing it’s right side up when she loses.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:39 pm:
===Can’t imagine that’s the case. ===
Some people actually manage to leave. Not many. But some.
===Campaign strategy is Lipinski=Trump? ===
It’s a Democratic primary, not a general.
- NoGifts - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:45 pm:
OMG I can’t express in words how happy this makes me.
- wordslinger - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:49 pm:
I’m guessing Lipinski will try to pack the primary ballot with a some stalking horses — at least one Hispanic surname, perhaps a Chinese one as well.
Take a look at that district map and tell me why Lipinski shouldn’t be in trouble in a Democratic primary. It ain’t 1980.
- wndycty - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:59 pm:
While I wouldn’t be sad to see Lipinski replaced, as a Democrat I’m not a big fan of primarying an incumbent in the 3rd CD when there is chance to pick off Roskam and/or Davis in 2018.
A fair amount of the energy needed to knock out Lipinski in a primary will come from activists from other districts. I’d rather see those activists working in vulnerable red districts, even in the primary.
Additionally, if Lipinski gets knocked out in the primary does that put that seat up for grabs in the general election? I’d much rather see the Dems take back the House before they start primarying incumbents.
- Regular democrat - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:10 pm:
Will she gain umion support? Is the Lipinski Madigan alliance still there? Time will tell
- walker - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:12 pm:
==A fair amount of the energy needed to knock out Lipinski in a primary will come from activists from other districts. I’d rather see those activists working in vulnerable red districts, even in the primary.==
Point well made, Wndycty.
There might be enough of a new women’s movement, to provide volunteers and activists to do both. Still growing as we speak.
- A guy - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:16 pm:
==Take a look at that district map and tell me why Lipinski shouldn’t be in trouble in a Democratic primary. It ain’t 1980.==
True enough. But go visit that district. It’ ain’t 2017 either. He doesn’t win by accident.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:17 pm:
===He doesn’t win by accident===
When’s the last time he actually won a real race?
Not saying he’s gonna lose. Just asking…
- A guy - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:19 pm:
===when there is chance to pick off Roskam and/or Davis in 2018.===
Honestly can’t speak to Davis, but Roskam and his district are not ripe for the pickin’. You can thank the mapmakers for that. They packed them into Roskam to give Biggert’s seat to Foster and ensure Tammy’s win.
- wndycty - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:20 pm:
==There might be enough of a new women’s movement, to provide volunteers and activists to do both. Still growing as we speak.==
I talk to a member of Congress regularly (not Lipinski) who has told me that both Roskam and Davis are in trouble.
Think about Dems to do list for Illinois. Protect incumbent constitutional officers, ILGA members, members of Congress, take back the Governor’s Mansion, pick up one, maybe two US House seats. There are limited resources, limited bandwith.
Its basic strategy. Good luck to Newman, but those resources, in both the primary and general election, are better used elsewhere.
Also, if you knock out Lipinski I bet you the DCCC will have to put resources into the general election that would be better utilized in other districts.
- wordslinger - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:22 pm:
–True enough. But go visit that district–
LOL, yeah, kind of hard for me not to, if I wander a few blocks south.
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
Is she any relation to Terry Newman?
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:37 pm:
I think Laraine Newman would be a more entertaining candidate.
- A guy - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:50 pm:
== if I wander a few blocks south.==
So close…and yet so far, in so many ways. I think you get the gist. The Orange Line delivers a lot different passenger than the Blue Line.
- TominChicago - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:53 pm:
- A guy - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:19 pm:
===when there is chance to pick off Roskam and/or Davis in 2018.===
Honestly can’t speak to Davis, but Roskam and his district are not ripe for the pickin’. You can thank the mapmakers for that. They packed them into Roskam to give Biggert’s seat to Foster and ensure Tammy’s win.
Hillary won IL-6 pretty easily.
- wordslinger - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
Guy, you’re so weird. I think I know where I go better than you do.
But, you’re still the expert on communing with the dead on what people were born for and raised to be.
- Anonguy - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
Taking Lipinski down in a primary has long been the proverbial white whale of many progressive activists. If they’re ever gonna do it, this is probably the year given the anti-Trump energy on the left.
But they better have a big boat. The Lipinski name is gold in those parts, he works his district pretty hard and is known for a top-shelf constituent service program, especially for seniors — and his district probably older than most. He also is very tight with labor (especially the trades.)
He didn’t do himself any favors by leaking the fact he helped Roger Claar…that’s only going to fire up the activist base. But the smart money says he’ll survive.
- A guy - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
++When’s the last time he actually won a real race?
Not saying he’s gonna lose. Just asking…++
He hasn’t, if you’re going to confine it to “real”. He’s won them before the filing date.
Primary’s fine by me. If they do, they might spring a leak somewhere else. Foster?
- A guy - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:56 pm:
==Hillary won IL-6 pretty easily.==
So did he Tom.
- wndycty - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:58 pm:
==Honestly can’t speak to Davis, but Roskam and his district are not ripe for the pickin’.==
Still much better for Dems to swing hard at Roskam rather than attacking a Dem incumbent and possibly having to protect the seat in the general.
Say Roskam is able to retain his seat, making him work for it, keeping him from helping others and tying up GOP resources definitely will benefit the Dems.
- scott aster - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:00 pm:
this guys was born with silver spoon. He should not represent this district it is more subs than city and coud go rep with an open seat. good for her
- Bill Edley - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:12 pm:
There were two undeclared Democratic Party Super Delegates in Illinois –Speaker Madigan and Cong. Lipinski. Lipinski announced that he would support whomever won his CD. He endorsed Bernie.
I smell a rat. Ms. Newman can take a hike.
- The Way I See It - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:43 pm:
Weird seeing Ken Dunkin’s name again. Anyone know what he is up to?
- pawn - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 6:01 pm:
All I can say is, in my part of Lipinski’s district, people are feeling fired up and very unhappy with him.
- Phil T - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 6:05 pm:
There have been attempts to take Lipinski out in the primary before, but they’ve all been somewhat half-hearted. If a ton of pro-choice money and progressive activists come to the district, he might be beatable. I do think it’s a mistake to challenge him with an unknown candidate from the northern part of the district. Most of the Dem primary votes are southern portion of the district: 19th Ward, Oak Lawn, Orland Township, etc.
- NoGifts - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 6:17 pm:
I like to think if they case against him was clearly presented — and I think there is a good case that he’s not much of a democrat — people might choose another name in a primary.
- Amalia - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 7:29 pm:
I’m with WndyCty….this is how we lost Senate seats in the South. super left not satisfied with Blanche Lambert Lincoln, so she gets primaried. and loses the seat to a R. now granted, she may have done that anyway, who knows. but start backing actual Dems and attacking Republicans. that is how we get back to where we were in numbers in Congress. Concentrate on beating Roskam.
- Stark - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 8:33 am:
Amalia - Ah yes, important Blanche Lincoln could not be primaried. We needed her for important votes…oh wait, she never voted with the party
- Stark - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 8:34 am:
The Majority doesn’t matter if it’s full of members who would rather cow tow to the professional classes the working base of support that got them into elected office.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:25 am:
Stark, that’s a blanket assertion, but go ahead and Bern on.
- Velour Nail - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:25 am:
wndycty great point. I live in the 3d CD and have no appetite for this type of challenge nor do many others who live in the our part of the district and I know routinely turnout in all elections, e.g. muni’s, primaries. Energies could be much better spent elsewhere.