Delia Ramirez’s gigantic win
Wednesday, Jun 29, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. Delia Ramirez worked her tail off and, as subscribers know, put together a very successful slate of candidates. Yes, Chuy Garcia played a very important role here. So did others. But, man, look at this huge margin over what many had considered a very legit, well-funded opponent who benefited from a ton of outside money. Here’s Mina Bloom…
State Rep. Delia Ramirez emerged victorious in the Democratic race to represent the newly-drawn 3rd Congressional District, which was left without a representative when boundaries were re-drawn.
Multiple news outlets called the race for Ramirez over Chicago Ald. Gilbert Villegas and others. With almost all precincts reporting, Ramirez held 65.8 percent of the vote to Villegas’ 23.7 percent, according to unofficial returns.
The predominately Latino 3rd congressional district had no incumbent. Illinois Democrats created the district during last year’s redistricting process to reflect the Chicago area’s surging Latino population. It stretches from Chicago neighborhoods like Belmont Cragin, Humboldt Park and Logan Square to largely Hispanic suburbs west of the city, including Elgin and Bensenville.
Your thoughts?
- AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 10:30 am:
She painted a picture of Gil Villegas that was hard to dispute.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 10:34 am:
Her campaign was the only campaign that came to my door. And they came twice. She wasn’t my choice but I have to admire their hustle and organization. Impressive.
- Pizza Man - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 10:37 am:
When you add the DC types: AOC, Sanders, and E. Warren thanks to Chuy’s connections including the organization types…this is the result.
A stunner and a good performance for Rep. Ramirez.
Without a doubt, without Chuy’s support and his already solidified DC connections, there would have not been a Congresswoman-elect Ramirez.
Ald. Villegas is probably stunned and looking at the ceiling at this time.
- Hot Taeks - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 10:40 am:
Delia was my State Rep (now redrawn into Danny Davis’ district since maps so weird). She’s a great person, retail politician, and legislator. 4 years ago, she convincingly won a 4-way race to represent the 4th district. She has a very bright future ahead of her and Illinois is lucky to have her represent us.
- Downstater-in-Chicago - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 10:41 am:
I live in this congressional district. The slate went a long way, because it made it easy for voters to walk into the booth. But I also think she pulled all of the right endorsements. Chuy, CTU, Will Guzzardi, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, and Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez were on board. Then you add on Bernie and Elizabeth Warren. Easy choice. This a group of people who are consistently on the right side of local, state, and national issues.
- Boomerang - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 10:54 am:
Ramírez had an incredible win last night and her partnership with Chuy yielded amazing progressive wins up and down the board, from Congress, to Cook County board, state central committee seats, and state rep seats. Chuy also did this while defending his state Senator and knocking out a long-term incumbent in the suburbs. Yesterdays wins show that Chicago is a progressive politics town and that Latinos resurgent voice comes through Chuy García.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 10:57 am:
It’s a good one to look into because she really spanked Villegas. I got all the mail, and I am skeptical it swayed voters either way. It was too much. I wouldn’t say there was a total progressive trend in the results either. Ramirez obviously did something really well, and it would be interesting to pinpoint exactly what that was.
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:15 am:
Let’s all remember the New York Times/Washington Post rule of election coverage, as analysis of this win comes out over the next few days:
When the leftist wins, it’s an anomaly based on unique local factors.
When the leftist loses, it’s another example of the national mood, a wholesale rebuke of radical extremism in favor of a more centrist approach.
Rule may apply in elections where votes are not fully counted, if needed.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:17 am:
Whatever. the Squad is bad for the Democratic Party.
- Saud-Zide - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:19 am:
It’s Chuy’s party now. He’s the only one that bring Durbin and Pritzker together.
- Pizza Man - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:19 am:
Chuy Garcia is what Luis Gutierrez use to be with his troops and Latino star power. Mr. Garcia was the first to block Rahm from coasting easily to a 2nd term but instead forced him to a run-off; a first.
Interestingly, Villegas even touted Luis Gutierrez’s endorsement but that stock has dramatically depreciated.
Luis is a former similar to a former music band type. In the ’90s to the mid-2000s, it would have mattered but not in 2022.
Chuy Garcia is king now.
- SWIL_Voter - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:28 am:
=Whatever. the Squad is bad for the Democratic Party.=
It appears that the young are finally getting their place in a party that has grown old and out of touch with a majority of Americans. Look around you. Are the old establishment Dems good for their party? Are they moving the ball forward on any substantive issue? Are they a formidable defense against the runaway extremist white supremacist party on the other side? The answer is no. The old guard in both parties is failing and useless. The people want authentic leaders who go out and work for these seats
- low level - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:29 am:
Chuy has exceeded what Luis did. I dont remember Luis having a slate that was that successful.
Now he is well positioned to have someone knock out Ald Burke. Times have changed, indeed.
- Surge voter - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:34 am:
I think the tv ad she did against Villegas was very powerful and convincing. She was able to tarnish him as a typical corrupt Chicago pol. I’m not sure it was a fair ad but it was sure as hell worked.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:35 am:
I guess the 3rd CD doesn’t like lobbyists.
- Boone's is Back - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:47 am:
My thought is that the Democratic party is becoming as extreme and unelectable as the Republican party.
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:48 am:
==Whatever. the Squad is bad for the Democratic Party==
LOL, took two whole minutes after my post for the rule to prove out.
- SWIL_Voter - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 11:57 am:
“My thought is that the Democratic party is becoming as extreme and unelectable as the Republican party.”
What is her most extreme and unelectable position?
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 12:13 pm:
If we take time to consider what constitutes the establishment in Illinois in the Democratic Party it should be of little or no surprise when they lose at the ballot box. We are not the Illinois of 2000 or 2010. How’d the “establishment” get there? What do they have yo show for their influence? What excuses do they offer for their shortcomings? With a series of federal indictments and convictions the lay of the land has irrevocably changed. Some people will find they no longer have the influence they once did. Some people will find that they cannot relying on a political system that depended on illegal corruption to provide the support they have come to expect.
If a candidate backed by the establishment loses it’s because the establishment failed to support a candidate that actually represented what the voters of that district wanted. If the establishment wants, they can take a step back and examine how they lost, how they were out organized, and change what they do. That’s how the establishment remains relevant. If they can’t figure that out, greet the victor with enthusiasm and open arms and maybe they’ll help you figure it out if you’re willing to change.
But the political establishment in Illinois doesn’t like changing and that’s why we needed indictments to move forward as the Democratic Party.
Ramirez ran a great campaign. Ramirez resonated with what Democratic voters wanted. Crediting a last minute ad or effort doesn’t reflect the months of organizing her campaign did to deliver this victory. Crediting a last minute ad is an establishment excuse. The first step to understanding why your campaign lost as a candidate is accepting that whatever you presented was not what the voters wanted to support, and if you’re convinced you were really what the voters wanted you then need to figure out why your campaign sucked at making sure the voters knew that.
But the Establishment is apt to do as Principal Skinner does. In a moment of self reflection convince themselves that “it is the children who are wrong.”
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 12:17 pm:
did not say it is an anomaly. just that it is bad.
- James - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 12:30 pm:
Delia ran allied with several other progressive candidates who carried her literature. Her upbringing in Humboldt Park, her leadership of two local not for profits has resulted in a large group of friends and supporters from nearby that she has used, twice now, to create effective ground games that have won lopsided victories. No doubt the national endorsements also helped.
- Techie - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 12:31 pm:
“My thought is that the Democratic party is becoming as extreme and unelectable as the Republican party.”
Lol, wanting to live in a country where workers earn a decent wage, everyone has access to healthcare, and we try not to make the planet insufferably warm is as extreme as helping stage and coverup a coup?
We don’t have a far left/extreme left in this country. If we did, they would be advocating for nationalizing all oil companies and banks, increasing income taxes on the very wealthy to 90%+, banning private schools, etc. The “extremeness” or “radicalness” of today’s Democratic Party, or even The Squad, pales in comparison to the actual extremeness of today’s right-wing Republicans.
- Montrose - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 12:32 pm:
We shouldn’t overlook that Delia is really likable. That is not small thing. She works incredibly hard, and people want to help her succeed. I am excited to see what she will do in DC.
- Chito - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 12:49 pm:
Organizations win races. Delia’s was more organized, more energized, and more cohesive. She was running with a full slate of candidates that had essentially been working together since Delia first won for State Rep.
- JP Altgeld - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 12:58 pm:
Chuy could probably walk into the fifth floor of city hall in 2023 if he so desired…
- Chicagonk - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 12:58 pm:
The Davis Miller primary had over twice as many voters vote than this primary.
- Nuke The Whales - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 1:17 pm:
==but instead forced him to a run-off; a first.==
I’m not saying that Garcia did not run a great race for Mayor in 2015, but can we stop pretending that the first runoff since 1999 is historic? Prior to the 1999 election there were no runoffs. We had partisan primaries in which one could win by a plurality. As of 2019, two of six elections had a runoff and two of three elections in which Richard M. Daley was not on the ballot had a runoff.
- Chris in ChiTown - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 2:28 pm:
I think that Delia, Chuy, Ramírez Rosa, & Aquino all played their important roles. Also, the list of state reps & senators who worked out a partnership with Delia’s ground game for the suburbs in the district. Delia’s campaign had a good team of staffers & volunteers, who helped to emphasize key message points, too.
- twowaystreet - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 3:11 pm:
For everyone giving Chuy credit, you don’t have the first clue what was going on in the district. In a low turnout election, Delia hustled and got the voters out.
I’m sure the Bernie, Chuy, and other endorsements helped but she won that race and did so handedly from being out and working.
- Harold - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 3:12 pm:
== the first runoff since 1999 is historic ==
Throughout the city’s history, it seldom has competitive mayoral elections when it’s all set and done. That’s the significance.
- RK - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 3:15 pm:
==For everyone giving Chuy credit==
He validated her candidacy nationally, which got money to start flowing.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 3:37 pm:
Ground game.
Ground game.
Ground game.
The Ramirez campaign gets it.
- twowaystreet - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 3:44 pm:
==He validated her candidacy nationally, which got money to start flowing.==
Ah, yes they must not have tallied those votes yet… Can’t wait for the margin to grow more afterward. /s
- Shytown - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 3:46 pm:
This was a classic example of why you need a good ground game in a low turnout election. I don’t give as much credit to Chuy and Bernie. She just ran a better campaign.
- RK - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 4:01 pm:
There’s no argument being made against the ground game or the strategic collaboration across the district. Kudos to the campaign and everyone that played a role in the field. However, the key to effectively taking out a well funded opponent with TV ads is to match them. That costs a ton of money, and the campaign was able to secure national money and out raise the opposition following the game changing endorsement.
- Steve - Wednesday, Jun 29, 22 @ 4:14 pm:
Bravo to Delia Ramirez. She’s a damn good politician. Down here, she was able to quickly adapt from the tribalist politics that dominate the Chicago city council and become a powerhouse in the legislature. She will be missed by her caucus. She quickly proved that she can balance out her progressive platform and defend her left wing credentials, and still be an effective legislator that deliver legislative results, fundraises, and builds strong relationships with everyone from left wing DSAers to the more conservative leaning business community and deliver wins.
- Loganblue - Thursday, Jun 30, 22 @ 11:47 am:
It baffles me that when a woman wins with this big of a margin, all the accolades still go to a man 🙄
Delia won her race because she was a better candidate, she is a coalition builder and she raised the money she needed to win. Lots of support from folks help but in the end - this is her win.