Marie Newman, A Lipinski Challenger, Makes Campaign Stop In Mt. Greenwood

CHICAGO, IL — Marie Newman is a challenger to 3rd Illinois Congressional District Rep. Dan Lipinski for the 2018 Democratic primary. Her campaign has been gaining steam since the beginning of the year in part to numerous meet-and-greet events like the stop she made at a Mount Greenwood home last week to share her ideas for the district. Newman mentioned access to healthcare, livable wages and providing more assistance to small businesses as the cornerstones of her campaign to a group of about 30 who gathered for an Oktoberfest-themed meet-and-greet at the Schmit family home.

Newman spent a portion of her discussion with the group at the meet-and-greet criticizing Lipinski's policies, and at one point said the longtime lawmaker is "basically a Republican."

Lipinski has represented the district that includes areas on the South Side of Chicago, southwest and near south suburbs since 2005.

"He doesn't believe in birth control, for anyone at anytime at any cost," Newman said. "That's just saying you don't care about family planning."

Newman, a native of Beverly who grew up in Palos Park and now lives in La Grange, said she is one who believes in "health care for all."

"And that you should be able to afford that health care," she said. "Obamacare brought us part of the way, but deductibles are still too high and premiums are too high."

Other issues Newman said she will push if elected to unseat Lipinski include ensuring there are more livable wages for working families and more options for affordable child care.

"We need to give working families a bridge," she said. "Not a handout, but a bridge."

To help small businesses flourish, Newman said part of her plan would be to seek to help allow small community banks give out loans. Newman is a former small business owner herself, having run a marketing agency until January of this year when she entered the 2018 race.

Transparency is another issue that Newman says separates her platform from that of the incumbent's.

"Mr. Lipinski doesn't want to hear from anyone, he doesn't want to engage," she said before opening up the floor to the 3rd District residents who attended the meet-and-greet to ask her any question they'd like.

She also said she would push the possibility of a live debate between her and Lipinski before the March primary.

"He's going to have to debate me," she said. "I will make a big stink about it (if he doesn't agree to it) and go national with it if I have to."

While speaking in Mt. Greenwood, Newman acknowledged the neighborhood as a previous stronghold for Lipinski but one where "everyone is open to someone new."

"Our underlying values are the most important thing, not party name or ideology," she said. "People will vote for the candidate who has their best interests at heart - expanding the middle class with real ideas and real solutions, giving working class families a fair deal, and healthcare for all."

She said she'll try to get Mt. Greenwood and has a chance to win every area of the district outside of the city's 23rd Ward, the area she said has the strongest Lipinski supporters.

"Beyond that, he doesn't have a hold on anything," she said. "Midway is gettable. Bridgeport is very gettable and we are going to go hard everywhere."

Top photo by Karissa Suarez Del Real / Marie Newman for Congress