Congressional candidate Lauren Underwood lives in a $750,000 Naperville home with a three-car garage, one block from an exclusive, private golf course.
Upwardly-mobile suburban voters typically admire the trappings of success— when they are one’s own.
Underwood, however, still sleeps in her childhood bedroom, down the hall from her mother and father in the home where she grew up.
There was once a time when a 32 year-old might be embarrassed, perhaps even mortified to rely on their parents to pay their credit card bills.
But no longer.
These days, “failure to launch” doesn’t make one reluctant to offer their leadership and wisdom to others, to run for the statehouse or even U.S. Congress. Enter Underwood, who was recruited by Democrats to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Plano) this year in Illinois’ 14th Congressional District. It includes Naperville, Plainfield, Shorewood and Aurora in Will County, as well as parts of DuPage Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and DeKalb Counties.
In her defense, Underwood is hardly the only candidate on the Illinois ballot this year still living with their parents.
Democrat Bridget Fitzgerald, 30, is running for state Senate in a district that includes parts of Lockport, Homer Glen, Orland Park and Naperville. She lives with her parents in nearby Western Springs, also in the house in which she grew up.
Near the Wisconsin border, Jake Castanza, 28, still lives with his dad in Rockford. He graduated from Purdue in May, then kicked off a campaign for state representative against a three-term incumbent.
The candidacy of a still dependent like Underwood, Fitzgerald or Castanza would ordinarily be seen as quixotic. But state and national Democrat leaders are backing the trio with millions of dollars, betting voters driven by their animus to President Donald Trump won’t dig deep into their resumes.
So far, polling numbers show the three as competitive, suggesting they haven’t.
- Mike - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:24 pm:
Underwood lives with her parents! This is sure to rock her campaign! Why does the link open a Mailchimp subscription to Jeanne Ives’
- Texas Red - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:24 pm:
Boomerang kids might be an emerging political movement. They are immune from high property taxes but sensitive to sales taxes at the local Starbucks.
- Fish magish - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:24 pm:
Oh, the sanctimony from Ives, how I won’t miss it.
- Fixer - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
That’s… it? Good job there Inspector Jeanne.
- WSJ Paywall - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:27 pm:
Congrats to Jeanne for making Lauren somehow even more appealing and relatable to young voters.
- Nick - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:27 pm:
Oh no, Millennials living at home, whatever will we do.
- Squround - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:27 pm:
That’s all they’ve got? Yeesh!
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
Making this an economic issue not a shaming issue woulda made more sense.
The most sense woulda been letting it be, but…
If Ives heads the ILGOP… where will I go next?
- Really? - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
Well, that was underwhelming, lol.
- Because I said so... - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
Didn’t Avery Bourne live at home when she was…appointed?
- Moe Berg - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
Likely no one will pay the slightest bit of attention, but given the number of millenials that have been forced to move in with their parents, and parents who have been forced to move in with their adult children, due to difficult economic circumstances, nothing illustrates better how out of touch with reality is the GOP.
If you want policies to build the middle class, who better to elect than economically dispossessed millenials?
It ain’t 1962 anymore, and that good payin’ factory job that was anyone’s for the askin’ain’t, either.
- In 630 - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:29 pm:
Jeanne Ives, pining the 1800s as usual.
- Michelle Flaherty - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
Clutching my pearls
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
Someone should tell Ives there are all kinds of positions for nurses and doctors that don’t involve working directly with patients.
- Turner - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
==If Ives heads the ILGOP… where will I go next?==
Will Willy long for the days of Rauner?
- Retired Educator - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
Does any of that make a difference? Perhaps there are reasons they live at home with older parents. There are many reasons I can think of. This is really a nonissue.
- Norseman - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:39 pm:
What next, Underwood still drinks milk as an adult. Oh, the humanity.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:41 pm:
===…long for the days of Rauner?===
Nope. I don’t subscribe to Raunerism.
- Actual Red - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:42 pm:
Jeez, Jeanne Ives is just the worst. If you would be hard pressed to afford your own place (as many, many people are in today’s market), isn’t living with family the fiscally responsible choice? Would she like any of these candidates more if they were struggling to make mortgage payments or throwing a too-big chunk of their earnings toward rent?
Ives embodies all of the worst stereotypes about Boomers - condescending, judgmental, unbelievably self righteous, and narrow minded. Can’t she just go away?
- Anonish - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:44 pm:
Those dang kids and their darn lack of ability to live on their own due to financial pressures! How will they ever be able to connect with their constituents?
- Sigh - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:48 pm:
When she was running for Governor, Ives often talked about how the number of people leaving Illinois was growing. Now, she wants to pick on individuals who are over 25 years of age for moving back to Illinois and living with their parents. {sigh} Pick a lane Jeanne.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
AA lived with Mom and Dad for awhile after college graduation. The food and accommodations beat the heck outta my “student slum,” not to mention the price was unbeatable.
Pound sand, Jeanne.
- Soccermom - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
Mrs. Ives, I don’t know where you were brought up. But I was under the impression that no decent young lady leaves her parents’ roof until her father walks her down the aisle and bestows her hand on a suitable groom.
Frankly, Mrs. Ives, I don’t like you trying to push your modern ideas on decent families.
- Demise - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:52 pm:
Not to mention it undermines that TV ad that says she was moved into the district.
- no comprendo - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:58 pm:
Let’s see if I got this. Ives thinks that because Lauren Underhood lives with her parents, she’s not qualified to serve. BUT Ives supports Rep. Tom Morrison who was caught trying to get a convicted child abuser leniency?
- Gruntled University Employee - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:59 pm:
Living at home with your parents is still better than living in Bruce Rauner’s head, like Mike Madigan.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:59 pm:
Will Ives be telling her kids when she expects them to leave?
- Northsider (the original) - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:00 pm:
Is this anyone’s business?
- Wensicia - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
“failure to launch”
How insulting.
Or Ives must believe in the archaic practice that only property owners be allowed to vote and run for public office, usually white males.
- Barrington - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
Ives really is creepy.
- Centennial - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:03 pm:
Millennials are forced to live at home because your generation ruined our economy, Jeanne.
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
She’s soooooooooo angry. Ahh Jeanne, I’ll not miss you…not one…little…jot.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:06 pm:
Close the nominations. Soccermom wins the internet today
- Roman - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:09 pm:
In fairness, this is a legit issue for voters to consider.
But if Jeanne was capable of self-reflection, her primary concern would be that three political neophytes that nobody has ever heard of (regardless of their living arrangements) are running super-competitive races against conservatives in districts that were drawn to be decidedly Republican. That should be a much bigger cause for alarm.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
In the olden days, this might have played to the extent people might have wanted their elected officials to be able to demonstrate accomplishment in the private sector first. But as many note very loudly above, not today. Also, kind of late for something like this to sink in and have any effect even with those who would view it negatively.
- Amalia - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:18 pm:
Hey Jeanne, take your family budget and head north away from the capitol. you are amplifying and demonizing that Underwood is a woman without a man (cause that’s how you think) and children. oh the horror. ever try to balance finances as a single woman?
- DarkHorse - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:19 pm:
Although I kinda like Ives, the comments about Underwood are ridiculous. Underwood clearly has the ability to get a job and support herself, and has done so. Maybe she loves being with them - you’d think the family values oriented Ives would love that. Also, Underwood has been campaigning full time for almost a year - a long time not to have an income. So, living with her parents makes sense. No need to discriminate against single and/or non-wealthy candidates.
- Flat Bed Ford - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:22 pm:
How happy do you think Jeanne’s parents were the day she shipped off to the Academy? Not because they were proud but because she was gone.
- Bogey Golfer - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
In fairness, she did move away when she went to West Point and did her service afterwards - thanks to the US Government and not mom and dad.
At the same time, owning or renting your own place is not a litmus test to running for public office.
- Fav human - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
Very late in the game, if you think this is/will be effective.
- illinois manufacturer - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:35 pm:
It is in such contrast to our very independant self made president.
- Earnest - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:38 pm:
>betting voters driven by their animus to President Donald Trump won’t dig deep into their resumes.
Ives doesn’t really give me an idea of what’s on their resumes. Possibly she’s drawing attention to their living situations to deflect anyone from “digging deep.”
- AlfondoGonz - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:40 pm:
So Underwood seems like a fine candidate and I would vote for her.
But I know I didn’t understand the world until I paid my own bills. I’m 30, for perspective. Public sector attorney. I have colleagues who live at home and they are naive.
She seems outstanding though. Just worry about her perspective.
- Anon-I-Guess - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:43 pm:
It doesn’t move the needle, it humanizes your opponent and makes you look both out of touch and intolerant. Way to hit the hat trick JIV
- Soccermom - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:47 pm:
JB —
- RIJ - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:54 pm:
Age 28 - 32 is exactly the group that graduated high school and/or college in 2008 and the following horrible economic years. That group was *prevented* from launching by the dearth of jobs at the time.
- Ol' Pedro - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:58 pm:
@Jeanne Ives-
I’m a GOP voter, every primary since 2012, and this cruelty from Jeanne Ives makes me proud to have voted against her in the primary. I’ve never been with the SJW agenda, but her ad against transgender people had all the humanity god gave a furnace. Underwood has some preexisting conditions, god knows what it costs for her to be insured. If she needs to live with her parents, WHILE running for congress, WHILE she is a parent, good for her for not ruining her family life to chase power.