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A very quick look at a few congressional primaries

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Illinois

* Probably at the heart of the Bost vs. Bailey race…

On Tuesday afternoon at the only polling place in Freeburg, a handful of voters told the BND they picked Bost because he was the Trump-endorsed candidate. But another voter said they picked Bailey because his campaign signs promised he “fights like Trump.”

Bost is leading Bailey by 2.8 percentage points, 51.4-48.6, or 2,590 votes. If Bailey had snagged that Trump endorsement, it would’ve been over. But Bost ably used every connection and lever he had to secure the nod.

* ABC7…

Three-term U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García has won [69.1-30.9] the Democratic primary against Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, the Associated Press projected. […]

Lopez had argued García is no longer the right fit for Illinois’ 4th Congressional District, which is predominantly Hispanic and includes working-class communities and neighborhoods on the city’s Southwest Side as well as wealthy suburbs.

Delia Ramirez’s primary opponent said the same thing about her two years ago, and it was hyped in the media as well. But, like Ramirez, US Rep. Garcia did better in the suburbs than in the city…

DuPage: 73-27

Suburban Cook: 72-28

Chicago: 66-34

* Two years ago, US Rep. Danny Davis defeated Kina Collins by an unexpectedly narrow 52-46 margin. This time, Davis saw it coming and fought back hard. But he only increased his total yesterday by a single percentage point, to 53. Also, unlike 2022, Davis faced more than one serious challenger, and the rule for primaries is the more, the merrier because they dilute the opposition…

A defiant Davis called out critics who’d said he was “getting scared” in his five-way race, claiming the incumbent had to call the “big guns” of the Illinois Democratic Party to help him across the finish line.

“Let me tell you, I helped make the big guns,” Davis said to cheers at his campaign headquarters across the street from his East Garfield Park office.

“And all of these prognosticators — all of those who thought the people of my community would not recognize the work that we’ve done practically all of our adult life — I am so affirmed that the people know the work that we’ve done,” Davis said.

* This challenge from US Rep. Foster’s hard left failed miserably. Foster is up 77-23…

Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville, who often notes he’s the “only physicist in Congress,” defeated a progressive challenger in Tuesday’s primary in the suburban and exurban 11th Congressional District.

The Associated Press called the race for Foster a little before 8:30 p.m.

Civil rights attorney Qasim Rashid, also of Naperville, previously ran unsuccessfully for public office in Virginia, including a failed congressional bid in 2020. Like other progressives challenging incumbent Chicago-area Democrats this year, Rashid made calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war a central theme of his campaign.

Rashid also championed universal health care and other progressive causes.

The UAW endorsed Rashid at one point, but then pulled it and went with the incumbent.

Rashid was terminally online.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 2:00 pm

Comments

Republicans nominated their candidate, former Judge McGraw, to take on Congressman Eric Sorensen in the most competitive CD in Illinois. The 17th CD becomes ground zero for control of the US House. The QC dems had better live up to their reputation for helping to keep it blue.

Comment by This Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 2:17 pm
The musical chairs looking forward. You have to wonder if Bost is done after this term. This was a close race and Bost has, as far as I know, only lost 1 election, his first race for State Rep in the early 1990s. Does that set Terri Bryant up for the Bost seat? Mayor Will Stephens of Murphysboro seems to have bigger political potential. Fowler, Windhorst, Jacobs? When Bost eventually walks, you could have a 5 or 6 way primary.

Comment by James Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 2:18 pm
Gaza is obviously a critical issue for many salient reasons, but it’s not something that will really play well as a central theme during a time when people are concerned much more with, in no certain order, inflation, housing prices, immigration, attacks on democracy, women’s healthcare rights, and any number of other domestic issues and impacting citizens left, right, and center.

Illinois is a blue state overall, and the district is a lean blue district as well, but if Gaza isn’t remotely close to being a winning factor for a primary election in the Illinois 11th then there really isn’t a pathway to electoral success with Gaza as a cornerstone outside of extremely safe Dem districts.

Comment by TJ Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 2:19 pm
I wonder what State Mr. Rashid will travel to next to make it to Congress/be an elected official?.?.?.?

Comment by Wobblies United Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 2:38 pm
==Rashid was terminally online==

Unfortunately this is a common theme among progressive figures these days–they preach to their choirs about how things ought to be online but ultimately never organize beyond that. News flash: your typical voter needs to be persuaded that you are a better choice than the status quo! Otherwise, they will defer to the incumbent. You can’t persuade an entire electorate (or even most of it) on Twitter. Can’t say that I’m surprised by the margin by which Rashid lost.

Kina Collins sort of broke this mold, and I have a feeling she may very well have won if the race had been only two-way. Then again, Davis did a fantastic job coalescing the state party around him, and he did get an outright majority of the votes. I’ll definitely be watching to see what happens in 2026, though if I had to guess this is probably his last term.

Comment by Lakeview Looker Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 2:41 pm
Darren Bailey is a loser.

Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 2:52 pm
== If Bailey had snagged that Trump endorsement, it would’ve been over. But Bost ably used every connection and lever he had to secure the nod. ==

So you are saying the Trump endorsement gave a boost to Bost?

I will see myself out…

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 3:07 pm
=== I have a feeling she may very well have won if the race had been only two-way===

Again, I do not think that Davis appreciated his situation in 2022. He did this time.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 3:16 pm
I live in Foster’s district and Rashid began hammering Dems with messages early. Unfortunately for him, his messaging was over the top, inaccurate, and a huge turnoff. I blocked him when curiosity gave way to disgust. Guess I wasn’t the only one. Also, if you know Bill Foster, you know him to be a thoughtful and caring man. Rashid picked the wrong fight, and did it horribly.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 4:42 pm
“ Rashid was terminally online.”
Agreed. I had to unfollow some groups because his posts choked everything else out. I met a few of his followers and they pretty much said the same things, that Foster is out of touch or that he voted one way on a particular bill. Not my district but nothing that would’ve persuaded me if I were.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 5:08 pm
Mike Bost is among one of the laziest members of congress I have ever witnessed. If he’s doing any constituency work, he is doing it in such a fashion he only talks to or meets with people that are already in his camp. He has openly refused to hold town hall events in his district because he doesn’t want to hear from his constituents when he does things and supports things that threaten their life.

I have never seen a member of congress be so disinterested in being a member of congress. For decades Southern Illinois was represented by members that put some effort into it.

And that’s how he’s almost lost to a loon running further to the loonie.

Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, Mar 20, 24 @ 9:45 pm
==Kina Collins sort of broke this mold, and I have a feeling she may very well have won if the race had been only two-way.==

She performed worse. This tells me she is quite vulnerable to an established west side Democrat that might currently be sitting on the sidelines waiting for Davis’ retirement before throwing their hat into the ring.

Kina might have peaked. Without white Oak Park propping her up election after election, we wouldn’t even be talking about her.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 9:05 am