* Media advisory…
Betsy Dirksen Londrigan to Announce 2020 Run for Congress
Dirksen Londrigan Will Announce the Launch of Her Campaign to Represent Illinois’ 13th Congressional District and Protect Health Care from Congressional Republican Attacks
SPRINGFIELD, IL - This morning in Springfield, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan will announce the launch of her campaign to represent Illinois’ 13th Congressional District. The launch will take place at the Illinois AFL-CIO with members of the local community in attendance.
Dirksen Londrigan will discuss the need for new leadership in Congress and to protect the health care of Illinois families against ongoing attacks by Congressman Rodney Davis and Washington Republicans.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
11:00 AM - Dirksen Londrigan Campaign Announcement
Illinois AFL-CIO
534 S 2nd St, Springfield, IL 62701
She lost to Davis last year by just 2,058 votes.
* Bernie…
“Health care is still the issue,” said Londrigan, 48. “As I traveled the district during the last 18 months, it’s what I heard over and over and over again. People want the protections that the Affordable Care Act provides, and they want to make sure that their kids get a good education. They want good jobs. But overarchingly, health care is the issue. And we still have an administration and a congressman that are trying to get rid of the ACA.”
Davis has favored repealing and replacing the health care act known as Obamacare but also said he had worked to make sure there were protections such as continued health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
Londrigan said the law “is not perfect” but wondered when opponents would “take the hint” that “people want their health care.” She also isn’t ready for a single-payer health care system. […]
“I was a first-time candidate who came real close to unseating a six-year incumbent, and we really built a movement,” Londrigan said. “I think that we tilled the soil profoundly in the 13th District and people … have gotten to know me. Clearly there are more people who need to get to know me and our campaign, and why I’m in this and why I’m going to fight for them.”
…Adding… ILGOP…
“In a lame attempt to distance herself from her past statements and the Democratic Party’s march towards Socialism, Betsy Londrigan says she’s “absolutely not” a Socialist, but voters in the 13th District won’t be fooled. Now that Londrigan is officially a Democratic candidate for Congress again, she must let voters know whether or not she will take part in the Democratic Party’s far-left, Socialist policy agenda - impeaching President Trump, the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and a radical expansion of abortion.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
…Adding… NRCC…
“Illinoisans rejected socialist loser Betsy Dirksen Londrigan once and they’ll do it again in 2020. Her support of radical socialist policies like single-payer, late-term abortion and a Green New Deal are out of step with Midwest values and will once again render her unelectable.” -NRCC Spokeswoman Carly Atchison
- Typical - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:01 am:
Well, in a watershed year you came up short by 2,000 votes. The national mood was against the GOP and Rauner was gleefully allowing the GOP to be destroyed and outspent.
2020 will be a year in which she loses by 13%.
- HorseShoe - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:04 am:
Ms. Londigran did a very good job in ‘18, but I think she (and other downstate Dems up in 2020) will have a harder time since this time since Trump is on the ballot that will turn out the R’s.
But everything seems so topsy turvy in the election world now I could be dead wrong.
- Anon217 - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:04 am:
She’ll get a boost from the new DCCC head, fellow IL Dem Cheri Bustos, as well as from her mentor, Sen Dick Durbin, who will also be on the ballot. I expect Londrigan could win this time around.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:08 am:
Typical do you think with Trump leading the GOP ticket in 2020 the voters will be running into the arms of GOP candidates? Keep dreaming.
- Central Illinois Center Right - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:09 am:
13th is a tough tough district - Rodney will have a tough fight on his hands every time.
I do believe the red part of his district will get redder - he has enough ammo from national dems, let alone against state rhetoric with min wage, grad tax, and cannabis.
Depending on how far left the top of the ticket is, I imagine he will be better off than in 18.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:14 am:
Makes sense. Historically, Dem turnout in Illinois increases much more than the GOP in presidential years.
- MakePoliticsCoolAgain - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:21 am:
Unless she plans to run a different campaign and actually call out Rodney Davis for his hypocrisies (including racism), she has no chance.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:22 am:
I guess she has a decent shot against Davis in a presidential election years. Still, it seems like that district is never going to go Democratic, and all the Democratic candidates are going to end up as Quixotic figures.
- d. p. gumby - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:25 am:
Having a presidential election and the passion against the incumbent is as strong as his supporters. But what issues will emerge beyond healthcare? And w/ Dem in control of House, Davis could have more freedom to try to sound reasonable. It will be another close race as she is a great candidate.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:28 am:
I’m so up for a rematch. Bill Edley had some really great analysis about the race the other day. I’m going to be focused hard on helping her out in the areas she’s lagging in. Labor and the rurals.
- Fixer - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:33 am:
Rural will be a hard lift for her in that district. Labor getting out will help, but it’s not a guarantee that it’ll be enough. Tough district on a normal election, but 2020? That’s going to be a wild one.
- MakePoliticsCoolAgain - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:40 am:
-Labor and the rurals-
I would recommend looking at the areas she under-performed in ‘18 (urban, diverse) where she should have won and develop a solid strategy to energize those voters.
- Jibba - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 10:43 am:
Davis is a great retail politician and will be tough to beat, but he has weaknesses (hypocrisy being the most obvious). I don’t think he will be beat by a one-issue neophyte running again if she didn’t get him with the advantages of last time. Won’t anyone with more experience and stature run?
- 61822 - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 11:04 am:
Champaign County government turned very blue. If the new clerk makes it easier for college students to vote in Champaign, that could turn up 2000 votes.
- Leatherneck - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 11:53 am:
Could we also see David Gill run yet again? (In hopes of attracting the younger or more liberal voters in the primary).
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 11:58 am:
Rodney Davis was 1 of 3 dozen House GOP members to vote against the NRA to re-authorize VAWA last week. Change of heart, or cold political calculus? Time will tell. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/116-2019/h156
- Nick Name - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 12:17 pm:
Nice word salads from the ILGOP and the NRCC. Looks like “SOSHULIZM!” is going to be the GOP rallying cry for 2020.
===socialist loser===
Seriously, RNCC? What are you, 12?
- Honeybear - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 12:20 pm:
Jubba, I didn’t experience her as a one issue candidate. Although she ran very focused on healthcare. In person she was much more well rounded. I never felt she was pandering. I think she will be much more formidable. We’ll see
- Anotheretiree - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 12:24 pm:
I don’t know why she doesn’t mention Davis vote for the Trump tax cut which prevented Taylorville residents from deducting tornado losses. Unless I’m misinformed ?
- pool boy - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 12:24 pm:
Great. I can hardly wait for all the negative ads.
- Al - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 12:32 pm:
I do not accept the Medicaid for all slogan. The United States needs a National Health System. Future headline: Davis Wins Re-Election.
- NextofNixionan - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 12:51 pm:
So is she liberal darling or a flip-flopping politico? Last cycle she tried to imitate the far left, now she’s dancing to the moderate middle. Will the real BDL please stand up?
- Nick Name - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 1:30 pm:
===Last cycle she tried to imitate the far left, now she’s dancing to the moderate middle.===
Her issues and positions are exactly the same as they were in 2018. She wants to strengthen/reform the ACA and opposes Medicare for all, same as the last election. She wasn’t a Democratic Socialist then, she still is not. Etc., etc.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 1:33 pm:
===Last cycle she tried to imitate the far left===
Um, the last cycle she was hit for being an out of touch limousine liberal.
- Typical - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 2:02 pm:
Give me a break-What happened to the Davis opponent in 2016 with Trump on the ballot. We are going to have a red year downstate and a blue year in the suburbs. Just the way it is.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 2:09 pm:
Would be kind of funny if in cycle 5 of this district the dems finally cracked the code to get over the top here, just in time for the remap eliminating it.
not gonna hazard a guess how this goes in 2020 other than it will be close (definitely not a 13% split). dem and gop turnout should both be up though.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 3:14 pm:
Nick Name hit it. The use of the term “Socialism” in R rhetoric this cycle is going to make a good “drinking game”.
- Joey Twoshoes - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 3:39 pm:
*reads nrcc and ilgop’s comments* ah, this must be all that civility Davis preaches in action…