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* Fundraising appeal from Marie Newman…
We’ve had an exciting few weeks around here. I was honored to get Senator Elizabeth Warren’s endorsement last Monday, and today, I’m just as thrilled to receive an endorsement from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Her support means a lot. She knows what it’s like to take on the establishment and D.C. insiders — and win. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez proved that you can win tough races by knocking on as many doors as possible and championing your district’s voices and values.
That’s exactly what we’re going to do right here in IL-03, and I couldn’t be more grateful that she’s on my side.
But take a step back for a second and ask yourself why these national progressive leaders are paying close attention to this race. They know, especially right now, we simply can’t afford to have Democrats in office who fail to stand up for our values.
If you agree that it’s time for the Third District to have a leader unbought by corporate special interests — someone who will take on the establishment and machine politics — then I need you with me. Will you chip in to my campaign today?
We can do this — together.
Thanks,
Marie
* Tribune…
Lipinski, who opposes abortion rights, is among the more conservative Democrats in the House and defeated Newman in a primary last cycle. Lipinski’s 3rd Congressional District covers the southwest suburbs and a piece of the city of Chicago. […]
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders supported Newman in her 2018 primary bid. […]
By backing a primary opponent to a colleague, Ocasio-Cortez is mounting a campaign strategy that resembles her own political rise last year, when she toppled a House Democratic leader in a stunning primary challenge. It’s a flex of power for the freshman lawmaker but also one that makes colleagues wary.
* Sun-Times…
Newman campaign manager Ben Hardin told the Sun-Times Tuesday that Ocasio-Cortez and Newman talked earlier this month about congressional priorities, Newman’s platform and the potential endorsement.
For a district anchored in Chicago and the southwest suburbs, Ocasio-Cortez decided to announce her backing in the New York Times on Tuesday morning, suggesting the lawmaker was trying to maximize the national fundraising potential of her first endorsement of the cycle.
She told the Times: “Marie Newman is a textbook example of one of the ways that we could be better as a party — to come from a deep blue seat and to be championing all the issues we need to be championing.
“The fact that a deep blue seat is advocating for many parts of the Republican agenda is extremely problematic. We’re not talking about a swing state that is being forced to take tough votes.”
* NBC News…
High-profile Democratic primaries are becoming more common, thanks in part to the attention garnered by Ocasio-Cortez and others, although the New York lawmaker herself has not been as quick to support primary challenges as some expected she would.
“We are so proud that Marie Newman is the first Justice Democrat of this cycle to receive an endorsement from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” said Alexandra Rojas, the executive director of Justice Democrats, which has supported many of the anti-establishment primary bids. “The momentum is growing in our movement to make the Democratic Party fight for solutions as big as the problems we face and create a party of voters, not corporate donors.”
*** UPDATE *** Response…
Dan Lipinski responds to @AOC endorsing his primary opponent and it's a doozy.
"Ms. Newman is an extreme candidate who is completely out of step with the voters of Illinois’ Third District who do not want to be represented by a fifth member of the 'Squad.'" pic.twitter.com/zewNDe6CfP
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) September 17, 2019
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:37 am
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Trump helped elevate a first-term congressperson to national prominence with his racist attacks. It warrants an endorsement from a new member of Congress to be a bigger deal than it might otherwise be.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:45 am
That’s going to hurt her in this district.
Comment by Just Another Anon Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:46 am
This endorsement helps Lipinski. He has to hope that AOC comes to La Grange to campaign for Newman
Comment by Walleye Soup Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:49 am
Sigh. This has been my singular frustration with Marie Newman the last time she ran against Lipinski: she is more interested in celebrity than working the district for local support. Getting Bernie Sanders’, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren’s endorsement is fine when you want to reinforce your progressive bona-fides, but the actual residents of the district matter more. She should start thinking now about what the primary voters in the district are thinking and talking about about when sitting in the frunch-room or graatches.
What is keeping the voters up at night in the 3rd District? It ain’t what Bernie, Alexandria or Elizabeth are thinking, that I can tell you.
Comment by Colin O'Scopy Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:53 am
===This endorsement helps Lipinski===
That district ain’t what it once was.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:54 am
Agree with Just Another…
The SW side and suburbs isn’t Queens. Lot of Labor down there that are not hip on Medicare for All after fighting and bargaining for benefits for decades.
Don’t think this garners anything beyond the Screech Owls. She wasn’t known last time around and that helped her. Her ungracious exit and remarks last time turned a lot of people off.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:54 am
==That district ain’t what it once was.==
Alas, none of them are as urbanites continue to move away from the city into the burbs. But…it isn’t AOC land out there either.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:57 am
Lipinski is done. As AOC’s and Warren’s endorsement shows, the progressive energy is with Newman. Which is where it should be. The Democratic party in 2019, particularly in Illinois, is a party that fights for LGBT people and for the right to choose abortion. Lipinski is against both of those things. His presence in the caucus, representing a D+6 seat that voted for Bernie over Hillary by 8 points in 2016, is an abomination.
Comment by Quibbler Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 9:58 am
==In the 2018 Democratic primary, Newman, from LaGrange, lost to Lipinski, who lives in Western Springs, 51% to 49% — a margin of 2,145 votes out of about 95,000 cast.==
This Chicago area district isn’t Lipinski’s father’s district anymore.
Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:08 am
=His presence in the caucus, representing a D+6 seat that voted for Bernie over Hillary by 8 points in 2016, is an abomination.=
And yet the abomination beat your progressive energy that same year.
Comment by Soo... Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:11 am
*Following
Comment by Soo... Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:12 am
===He has to hope that AOC comes to La Grange===
Again, this district isn’t what you think it is. I don’t know at the moment what the AOC endorsement will mean, but Lipinski lost Lyons Township 58-42 last year. https://results318.cookcountyclerk.com/summary.aspx?eid=32018
Wake up, boys and girls.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:16 am
I hope that Lipinski can hang on but I believe it is Newman’s race to lose. As Rich has pointed out the district has changed and with a presidential primary in the offing, there should be a large increase in voters, especially first timers. I’m not sure AOC’s endorsement will mean much but with the larger number of voters compared to 2018, I’m not sure it needs to.
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:23 am
What Newman’s campaign appears to not appreciate is that it feels like her out-of-district proxies are talking down to those in the district. That may only serve to entrench her opposition. It would not be a shame if Newman were remapped into IL-4 or even IL-5 next go around.
Comment by The Velour Nail Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:23 am
Dan was at the Lyons Township Democrats picnic this past Saturday. Newman was no where to be seen.
Comment by The Velour Nail Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:32 am
===It would not be a shame if Newman were remapped===
Congressional candidates don’t have to live in the districts. They just have to live in Illinois.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:33 am
If she got a head to head matchup she’d probably beat him but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. At 6/30 Lipinski had $713K on hand, Newman had $352K, Abe Matthew had $72K and Rush Darwish had $133K. The other two haven’t raised a ton of money but there’s probably enough to keep at least one of them in the race, and maybe enough to siphon off enough votes to save Lipinski.
Comment by The Captain Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:34 am
==maybe enough to siphon off enough votes to save Lipinski.==
Abe Matthew and Rush Darwish are just as likely to siphon off votes from Lipinski.
Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:37 am
===Dan was at the Lyons Township Democrats picnic===
That group is pro-Lip.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:37 am
Not just her surrogates, last time it felt like Newman was talking down to local voters. She needs to fix that. If Lipinski wants to survive, he needs to make the case that he cares about what’s happening locally and cares about people’s immediate needs, as opposed to someone who wants a national platform and is disconnected from the district.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:44 am
==The SW side and suburbs isn’t Queens==
But there are plenty of Frank and Estelle Costanzas.
Actually, Newman did quite well in the wealthy areas of LaGrange and Hinsdale. In this race, she’s the one-percenter.
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:44 am
I don’t know. I’m pretty far to the left, and my reaction when I saw this in the NYT this morning was, “She [AOC] needs to butt out.”
She obviously chose to make this endorsement because Lipinski is vulnerable. She’s an opportunist who smells a likely win for which she will then take credit, and I find that obnoxious.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 10:50 am
I don’t think it’s about taking credit to be obnoxious, I believe that she genuinely believes Lipinski’s policies are out of touch for what the districts looks like now, and that the policies of Newman/herself are overall better for the country.
Comment by Stark Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:01 am
I’m in IL-3 and it feels like Lipinski is talking down to me constantly.
Lipinski is a bad politician who backs bad policies and I hope he’s gone in 2021.
Comment by brickle Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:09 am
=== we need to focus on wining the next election ===
I am not sure how getting the voters drunk helps, but if it’s less than $8 a bottle or sold by the box then Lipinski might be hoping to counter with @ChiPartyAunt endorsement. #SoMuchWining
Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:09 am
“… the first Justice Democrat…” I thought she was from LaGrange.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:10 am
Looks like Newman is playing the same game as last time. Focusing on national names…maybe it will bring in much needed donations. But once again, she’s not working the district in the way she should. I’m still not sure if she has even reached out to elected officials in the district…she didn’t last time. Between that and her post-election sore looser comments still leave a really bad taste in my mouth. Since then, I keep hearing what a horrible candidate she was to work for. Not sure she has the temperament I am looking for as someone to represent me in DC.There’s enough flame throwing already without adding to the craziness.
I have never liked or voted for Lipinski and not sure I can vote for Newman.
Comment by Because I said so.... Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:16 am
Both marched in the Founders Day parade in Romeoville Sunday. It was a fun microcosm.
Lipinski had the larger organization - more marchers - and had the better parade spot.
Newman’s side had more energy and a better response from the crowd, I thought. They were also smart enough to bring either email sign up sheets or nominating petitions for those on the curb. (Lipinski may have done this too, but I did not see any).
But this makes sense, right…the “organization” vs the “upstart”.
I thought Newman would pull it off last time because she had strong support out here. And hey, she won Will County by like 63-37, so my intuition was right. Bully for me. The REST of the district, though…I didn’t have a handle on that.
Comment by Concerned Observer Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:17 am
@Stark -
I’m sure she does believe that. But she’s very careful about where she chooses to make endorsements. It’s not based (at least not solely) on policy differences. It is also, to use the NYT’s words, “a careful political calculus”. There’s no way she’d have endorsed Newman if she didn’t think Newman could win.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:19 am
“… the first Justice Democrat…”
The liberal advocacy group Justice Democrats is endorsing primary challengers to US House and US Senate incumbents.
Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:19 am
(Correction: 58-42, Newman, in WillCo)
Comment by Concerned Observer Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:20 am
Guess I should attached a 3d District map to my comment. The Village of Justice is one of the towms in the district.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:24 am
The 3rd CD is a moderate Democratic district. Unfortunately, there is not a moderate Democratic candidate in the field.
Comment by Telly Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:40 am
===The 3rd CD is a moderate Democratic district===
…that voted for Bernie in 2018.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:49 am
The response is well thought out. Glad to see him be a little more aggressive on this.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:50 am
In an otherwise quiet election area for the GOP, it would be interesting to see if the AOC, Warren, involvement there inspires a swath of GOP primary voters to cross over in the primary?
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:52 am
Hey AOC, how is the campaign finance violation going? I can’t keep up, what with your Chief of Staff leaving/having to leave for his ridiculous comments about a Native American Member of Congress (and former MMA fighter) who does not tow your extreme left line. And you getting called out by Nancy Pelosi. But, hey, your Twitter account is on fire.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 11:54 am
I agree with some of the comments on here regarding the endorsement actually hurting Newman. She already has her lefty progressives in the bag, I don’t think this endorsement changes that. However, it could have a backlash, particularly with conservative dems and borderline Rs. Unlike last time there won’t be much of a reason for them to vote in the Republican primary but you could see more jumping over to vote against Newman.
Comment by Boone's is Back Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 12:00 pm
I think it will hurt Newman, not because the district hasn’t changed as Rich says, but because I think it will motivate anti-AOC moderate Dems and even some crossover Republicans more than it will bring Newman additional voters.
Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 12:51 pm
Reading Lipinski’s press release, you’d think he was representing a right-wing district. IL-3 voted for Sanders in the 2016 primary by nearly double digits, HRC by 15 points, Pritzker by 17 points, and Lipinski nearly squeaked by with a 2 point win. To put it in prospective, Lipinski is far to the right of Underwood and Casten and they represent true swing districts. He is really out of touch with the district.
Comment by Mike Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 12:52 pm
@Mike
Exactly. Maybe the district isn’t actually as progressive as Newman’s supporters think it is, but it certainly isn’t as conservative as Lipinski is.
Comment by brickle Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 1:41 pm
meant to add, as an example:
Lipinski was supporting a Constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality as recently as 2014. Forgive me if I’m less concerned about “sore loser” stuff surrounding Newman than I am about real-world impacts of Lipinski’s awful policies.
Comment by brickle Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 2:09 pm
==Lipinski was supporting a Constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality as recently as 2014.==
Public policy evolves, and it evolved quickly on that issue (for the better in my opinion) Still, he stood for election in a tough year for any moderate or conservative, and over 50% of his party’s voters voted for him. That’s settled now, so it hasn’t come up since, and to my knowledge there’s no strong effort to revive any effort.
==Forgive me if I’m less concerned about “sore loser” stuff surrounding Newman ==
Maybe review that “stuff” and then consider why this person is the person they’ve decided to give another bite at the apple. It was quite something. Disturbing and disgusting to say the least.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 3:24 pm
The Democrat Party has been at its best when doing big, bold policy: Social Security, union rights, Medicare, civil rights, voting rights, etc. Pritzker and GA Democrats followed this by legalizing marijuana, putting the fair tax on the ballot, minimum wage hike, etc.
Our age calls for big, bold policy on climate and health insurance, and AOC seems to represent that kind of change.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 3:30 pm
I am here for all of Rich’s clapbacks at the uninformed!
Newman can expect a donation from me and my politico friends across the country who are watching this race.
Comment by the working poor Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 3:47 pm
Everyone who has posted here is right: Lipinski is too conservative for the district. Newman is too far to the left for it. But let’s not forget, we’re talking about a primary election here. The latter approach is going to carry the day almost every time.
Having said that, Lipinski’s strategy of trying to draw voters who usually don’t show up for Dem primaries got a definite boost today. It’s an extremely tough strategy to pull off, but it’s all he’s got.
Comment by Roman Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 4:05 pm
At least 20 percent of those IL-3 Bernie voters voted for trump, if national averages hold, so the fact that Bernie won by 8 points doesn’t mean it’s a super-progressive district
Comment by Lake Effect Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 4:08 pm
On the crossover vote issue, a way that could get an even bigger boost is if there was no GOP presidential primary like several other states are doing. I personally abhor the idea, and don’t know if it is even possible here but it would lessen the need to take a GOP primary ballot even further. Of course folks could just decide to stay home, as organized mischief making in the other primary always seems more talk than reality.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 4:09 pm
@Lake Effect
At least 20% of Bernie voters voted Trump? I don’t think that holds up…
@a guy
Lipinski’s policies hurt people I care about. I could not care less that Newman was upset that a person with horrible ideas remained in power.
Comment by brickle Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 4:47 pm
According to exit polls only something like 10 percent of Sanders supporters went to Trump. Now maybe that’s more concentrated in some districts than others, but I sort of doubt it’s a place like IL-3.
In any case, as far as actual support goes this likely will have very little effect. The battle-lines between Newman and Lipinski have been well drawn by this point and I doubt there are very many voters who were considering her who suddenly might not because some congresswoman from Queens is backing her.
The bigger thing for Newman is this will help her national fundraising. Though also give him a temporary boost too, probably.
Comment by Nick Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 6:20 pm
Also since I’ve seen gay marriage mentioned, I just want to say that Lipinski’s LGBT issues don’t just stop at his former support for an anti-marriage equality amendment. Though I’d note by even 2013 the party had pretty clearly moved on SSM with something like only three southern Democrats in the Senate still being publicly opposed.
It also took him until just *this year* to support the Equality Act. In 2018 he was one of just two Democrats to not be in support of it.
And in 2015 he was the *only* Democrat in the entire House to cosponsor the so-called ‘First Amendment Defense Act’ which basically was just a national version of those ‘religious freedom’ bills designed to allow people/businesses to freely discriminate against gay people.
There are a lot of Democrats who have evolved, so slower than others, and some the politics of their states/districts have clearly influenced things. But Lipinski still stands out.
Comment by Nick Tuesday, Sep 17, 19 @ 6:36 pm
The national endorsements meh, follow the money and local organizations involved that’s the tell tale in this race.
Comment by NorthsideNoMore Wednesday, Sep 18, 19 @ 8:20 am