By William S. Bike
Democratic voters in the 3rd Congressional District rejected Dan Lipinski, congressman for the last 15 years, in favor of Marie Newman in the biggest upset of the election on March 17. Gazette Chicago had endorsed Newman.
Candidates winning their primaries will go on to the general election on Nov. 3.
“I am bursting with pride and gratitude for the amazing coalition that helped bring about much needed change in our district,” Newman said. “We are going to work together to lower healthcare costs, to fight climate change, and to build an economy that works for everyone.”
“This is a critical victory for the progressive movement in showing that voters are ready for a new generation of progressive leadership in the Democratic Party,’ said Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, one of the many progressive groups that backed Newman.
“This isn’t just a loss for one incumbent,” Rojas added. “It’s a defeat for machine politics and big corporate donors who want to stop our movement for Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, and reproductive rights.”
Newman scored 49,062 votes for 47.3%; Lipinski was second with 46,273 for 44.6%; Rush Darwish was third with 6,066 for 5.8%; and Charles Hughes last with 2,376 for 2.3%.
In the Democratic presidential primary state-wide, Joe Biden won with 919,172 for 59.1%, with Bernie Sanders second with 561,561 for 36.1%. Other candidates, most of whom had dropped out of the race, split the other 4.8% of the vote. Gazette Chicago had endorsed Sanders.
On the Republican side, Donald Trump won the presidential primary with 96% of the vote, to 4% for car salesman Rocky De La Fuente. Gazette Chicago made no endorsement.
The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate will be former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran,who tallied 200,891 votes for 41.5% against four opponents including Casey Chlebek, whom Gazette Chicago endorsed.
In a seven-candidate race for the Democratic nomination for Illinois Supreme Court, incumbent P. Scott Neville Jr. won with 185,785 votes for 25.4%. Gazette Chicago endorsed Jesse Reyes, who has strong local ties; Reyes came in second with 152,486 for 20.8%.
The 1st Congressional District saw Democratic incumbent Bobby Rush win with 85,215 votes for 71.5%. Gazette Chicago endorsed Rush. Falling short were Sarah Gad, 12,674 for 10.5%; Robert Emmons, 12,093 for 10.0%; and Ameena Matthews, 9,600 for 8.0%.
In the Republican race to face Newman in the 3rd District, Mike Fricilone,endorsed by Gazette Chicago,tallied 9,347 votes for 57.5%. Catherine O’Shea was second with 5,265 for 32.4%, and Arthur Jones third with 1,635 for 10.0%.
The 7th Congressional District Democratic primary saw Gazette Chicago-endorsed incumbent Danny Davis win with 71,000 for 61.5%. Kina Collins was second with 15,915 for 13.8%; Anthony Clark third with 14,656 for 12.7%; and Christine Schanbacher fourth with 13,962 for 12.1%.
In the Democratic race for Illinois State Senate, 1st District, incumbent Tony Munoz,endorsed by Gazette Chicago,won with 13,927 votes for 62.4% over Froy Jimenez, 8,377 for 37.6%.
The 3rd District saw incumbent Democratic State Senator Robert Peters,endorsed by Gazette Chicago,win a tight race over Ken Thomas. Peters tallied 17,975 for 51.8%; Thomas scored 16,697 for 48.2%.
For the Illinois State House, in the 2nd District Democratic race, incumbent Theresa Mah,endorsed by Gazette Chicago,received 9,254 votes for 66.7%. Shebeat Bobby Olson, 3,991 votes for 28.8%, and Kenneth Kozlar, 625 votes for 4.5%.
There will be a new 9th District State Rep after the November election. The Democratic nominee will be Lakesia Collins,a leader in the nursing home reform movement, who tallied 6,986 votes for 46.0%. The seat has been held by members of the Turner family for decades, but Aaron Turner finished second with 2,405 votes for 15.9%. Trina Mangrum, endorsed by Gazette Chicago,finished third with 1,654 for 10.9%. Also in the race were Nikki Harvey, 1,364 for 9.0%; Ty Cratic, 1,138 for 7.5%; Sandra Scheneller, 965 for 6.4%; and Maurice Edwards, 659 for 4.6%.
Gazette Chicago-endorsed incumbent Democrat Omar Williams won in the 10th District with 7,170 votes for 45.6%. Gerard Moorer was second with 4,902 for 31.2%; Gina Zuccaro was third with 3,662 for 23.3%.
Marc Loveless was running against 26th District Democratic incumbent Kambium Buckner,but Mr. Loveless passed away of natural causes at age 59 on March 8. Buckner won with 14,542 votes. To donate to Mr. Loveless’s burial fund, type GoFundMe+Marc Loveless into a search engine and go to the GoFundMe site.
In the Democratic race for Cook County State’s Attorney, incumbent Kim Foxx held on with 402,829 votes for 50.3% over Bill Conway, who had 249,967 for 31.2%; Donna More, 107,453 for 13.4%, and former local Alderman Bob Fioretti, 39,944 for 5.0%. Gazette Chicago had endorsed Conway.
Foxx will face Republican Pat O’Brien,who received 47,824 votes for 73.0% over Christopher Pfannkuche, 17,681 for 27.0%. Gazette Chicago endorsed O’Brien.
The Democratic Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court race saw State Senator Iris Martinez win with 244,159 votes for 34.0%. Gazette Chicago-endorsed candidate Michael Cabonargi was second with 193,408 for 27.0%, followed by Richard Boykin with 181,811 for 25.3% and Jacob Meister with 98,245 for 13.7%.
In the Democratic Metropolitan Water Reclamation District race for nominations for three seats, the winners were Kimberly Neely DuBuclet with 301,875 votes for 17.6%; Cameron Davis with 250,086 for 14.6%; and Eira L. Corral Sepulveda with 209,167 for 12.2%. Gazette Chicago endorsed DuBuclet and incumbent Frank Avila, who came in sixth, and Mike Cashman, who came in eighth, in a ten-person race for three spots.