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Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski says his party is risking creating a “tea party” faction as it drifts leftward and fails to support a “big tent” of contrasting ideas.

Lipinski is a social conservative who opposes abortion, and he’s facing a serious primary challenge from the left via political newcomer Marie Newman. She has the backing of abortion rights advocacy groups, as well as Lipinski’s colleagues U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston and Luis Gutierrez of Chicago.

“Right now there is a battle for what the Democratic Party is going to be, going forward,” Lipinski, who has represented the Southwest Side and suburban 3rd Congressional District for seven terms, said Sunday on WGN-AM 720.

“Four years ago we were at our lowest point in (Democratic seats in) the U.S. House since Herbert Hoover was president. We’ve come up slightly since then, but we’re still in a big hole, and there are those who want to have a ‘tea party of the left’ in the Democratic Party to match, unfortunately, what’s happened to the Republicans,” he said.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:25 pm

Comments

Dan. When you bailed on the working poor and middle classes, you officially stopped being called the Democratic Party. At least we have a president who is trying to pick up the slack with a few crumbs and tariffs.

Comment by Blue dog dem Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:28 pm
Maybe Lipinski should save the eulogy until if he gets beat.

Kind of unbecoming to be whining in the middle of the race.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:32 pm
Dan’s sitting in a pretty comfortably Democratic seat with a literal Nazi running on the Republican side. Dems don’t need him to hold it.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:34 pm
The motive of the messenger is questionable, but the message is all too true. We’ve seen a run to the extremes by both sides of the political spectrum. Compromise is a bad word among the adherents of these extremes.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:35 pm
Eh. I don’t like the idea that you have to agree with everything to be a Democrat or to get support from the Party, I’m not a one-issue voter and people who are confuse and frustrate me, but at the same time being hit for your stance on any issue is fair game.

Comment by Perrid Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:36 pm
But didn’t the Tea Party contribute to the GOP takeover of the House?

Comment by NIU Grad Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:36 pm
==At least we have a president who is trying to pick up the slack with a few crumbs and tariffs.=

Bush tried the tariffs, and they were a disaster. Vast majority of Americans got bigger “crumbs” from the 2009 ARRA

Comment by JohnnyPyleDriver Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:42 pm
Congressman Lipinski is a dinosaur. The only Democrat congresscritter from illinois who opposes medical cannabis. The only D from Illinois with a D rating Don NORML. Only darin lahood with an F rating is rated lower.

Comment by Al Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:44 pm
It’s a representative’s job to rep his or her *district* not his or her *party*. So if Lipinski is too conservative for his district, then bye-bye.

Comment by Ray del Camino Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:46 pm
Pretty good NY Times piece on this today:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/04/us/politics/democrats-primaries-division.html

Comment by Roman Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:48 pm
Such whining entitlement from a dude who only now all these years later actually has to work to hold his seat after having had it served to him on a platter by his daddy.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:54 pm
Bernie carried Lipinskis District by 8 in the primnary and Hillary by 15…I would say he no longer fits the District, in which case, its time to go. Also…he voted against ACA, the only reason he wasn’t primaried after that was too many other Democrats who were fighting for the working class lost there seats by doing the right thing and voting FOR it

Comment by ILDemVoter Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:57 pm
He was given this seat by his father after not even being a current resident of Illinois. Really the less said by him about “fairness” in an election the better.

Comment by Marrs96 Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 12:57 pm
The Democratic Party used to have 4-5 Illinois members who represented views similar to his. Now they have 1. To achieve a majority the GOP will need to accept some Pro Choice members. The Democrats have nearly purged all of their Pro Life members. They need the opposite of what the GOP needs. They just won’t accept it. They’ll remain in the minority until they do. Same goes in Springfield. For both sides.

Comment by A guy Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:08 pm
The first time he ran, after being appointed to fill the vacancy left by his father’s sudden withdrawal, he appeared on the ballot as “Daniel William Lipinski.”

This year we’ll how long his father’s coat tails really are.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:10 pm
==To achieve a majority the GOP will need to accept some Pro Choice members==

What Illinois constituency that currently votes Democrat would vote Republican if the only change was pro/anti choice?

I really don’t think there’s many staunch pro-choice conservatives out there.

Comment by PJ Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:11 pm
NIU Grad - maybe so, but they’ve been a thorn in the side of Republicans ever since. Helped in the short-term, hurt in the long-term.

Comment by Halsted Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:13 pm
Let’s see.

In 2010, the Dems controlled the presidency and both houses on Congress.

Then came the Tea Party.

Now the GOP controls the presidency and both houses of Congress.

Do I think the Dems could use some of that?

Yes.

Comment by Reality Check Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:15 pm
==What Illinois constituency that currently votes Democrat would vote Republican if the only change was pro/anti choice?==

Seats held by Sente, Mussman, Yingling, Conroy, Moylan, Crespo, …That’s just off the top of my head. There are more.

Comment by A guy Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:19 pm
He is absolutely right. Both parties are being driven to the extreme and there is no room for moderates. The boob running the DNC claims if you are against abortion you don’t belong in the Democratic Party. Run Harris, Warren or Booker as your presidential nominee and you will get 4 more years of Trump or pence

Comment by Sue Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:31 pm
Lots of hostility for Lipinski from outside the district Dems. I see it differently. I drive around and talk to people. Neighborhoods plastered with Lipinski signs. Plenty of loyalists. Blue collar neighborhood. I appreciate the competition from Marie Newman, but she seems to be further left than the district.

Lipinski wins by 20+ points.

Comment by I live in Lipinski's District Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:56 pm
==- I live in Lipinski’s District - Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 1:56 pm:==

Funny, in my neck of the woods this weekend, there were more signs for John O’Sullivan than Lipinski.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 3:31 pm
@ Blue dog dem

Genuinely curious, how did Lipinski “bail” on the working class?

His economic views are similar to Bernie - he’s just socially conservative.

Comment by California Guy Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 3:47 pm
It would be one thing if he was representing a population that’s more conservative about issues such as abortion like Gov Edwards in Louisiana or Sen Donelly from Indiana but he lives in a district that is overwhelmingly Democratic, he’s just finding new ways to complain about his constituents wanting someone who is more closely aligned with their beliefs.

Comment by Anon Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 3:56 pm
I’m in favor of retaining moderate Democrats in districts that call for it (i.e. regional politics; see Conor Lamb in PA) but there is zero excuse why Lipinski should be representing the 3rd district. It’s a safe Democratic seat, voted by Bernie by 8 in the primary and then voted for Hillary by 15+ in the the general.

His opponent, Marie Newman, has a mix of Sanders and Clinton’s policy proposals.

There should be no excuses for a dinosaur in this district who voted against Obamacare, opposes LGBT rights, is hostile to women’s rights and was against putting a clean DREAM act on the House floor.

Then there is the whole deal with him carpetbagging to Illinois to take the seat from his dad. Pure nepotism and local machine politics from his buddy Madigan.

Comment by Mike Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 3:57 pm
== there is zero excuse why Lipinski should be representing the 3rd district== Except that he will be re-elected.

==Then there is the whole deal with him carpetbagging to Illinois to take the seat from his dad== But he was re-elected on his own multiple times. Your argument is for his first term.

Comment by I live in Lipinski's District Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 8:17 pm
Silly lefties…Lipinski will win, by a somewhat comfy margin. 11 points or more.

Comment by The Snowman Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 10:15 pm
Marie Newman is going to win. You heard it hear first.

Comment by LG Lion Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 10:25 pm
*Here

Comment by LG Lion Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 10:25 pm
I can use the condescending “I live in Lipinski’s District” name too, because, well, I do. He has every advantage of the world and he is running scared. He even set up a campaign Facebook/Twitter for the first time in 13 years. He must be seeing something that you aren’t.

Comment by Mike Monday, Mar 5, 18 @ 11:17 pm