Newman Concedes To Lipinski In Illinois 3rd District Primary

CHICAGO, IL — Marie Newman, who took Congressman Dan Lipinski down to the wire in their Democratic primary, conceded Wednesday morning in a statement she posted on social media. By early morning, Lipinski was projected winner of a hard fought primary against the first-time candidate in the 3rd Illinois Congressional District

“I entered this race to fight for the rights of the hardworking people in Illinois’ Third District," Newman's statement reads. "Our campaign was built on achieving that. Last night, we wanted to make sure that every vote got counted, that every voice was heard. We believed there was a possibility of victory.

"After reviewing the results, we know that we lost by a thin margin. It was a good fight. Since we started our campaign, Dan Lipinski has moved his position on healthcare, a path to citizenship, and the need for a fair minimum wage.

"We put him on notice that we expect better for all of the people in our district.”

Come November, the district will choose between a pro-life Democrat and a neo-Nazi in the general election.

Many had viewed the primary contest in Illinois’s 3rd as a battle for the soul of the Democratic party. AP and other news outlets declared Lipinski the projected winner after a defiant Newman, who declined to concede, told her cheering supporters she wished “Mr. Lipinski to have a painful evening.”

With more than 95 percent of precincts counted in the Illinois 3rd District, Lipinski was leading Newman by 1,599 votes, 45,615 to 44,016. Lipinski has historically beat challengers and opponents by commanding leads, but Newman proved to be a formidable challenger.

With big money pouring in from progressive Democrat groups, Newman put up a fight, casting Lipinski as an out-of-touch “Trump Democrat.” One of the last Democrats remaining in Congress who is staunchly anti-abortion, Lipinski campaigned as a “big tent” Democrat, winning big support from labor unions.

Newman banked on a changing tide in Illinois’s 3rd, which supported progressive Democrat Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. Congressional colleagues stepped over Lipinski to endorse his pro-choice opponent. Newman got a huge boost from Sanders’ endorsement in the final weeks of her campaign.

She told her supporters at Marz Tap Room in Bridgeport to go home, saying she wasn’t ready to give in and would have something to say in the morning.

“We’re going to wait until the morning,” Newman said. “We’re going to make sure every single vote is counted.”

Art Jones of Lyons, an avowed neo-Nazi and Holocaust denier, ran as the lone candidate in the Republican primary for Illinois’ 3rd District. Jones captured 17,304 votes, according to unofficial tallies. The results do not include Chicago precincts.

Newman credited herself with “scaring the crap” out of Lipinski on several key issues.

The Democratic primary in the Illinois 3rd Congressional District is one of the most closely watched races in the country and has attracted national attention. The race has become symbolic of the deep divisions within the Democratic Party. The primary pits incumbent Dan Lipinski against challenger Marie Newman.

Lipinski is facing his first real challenger as he battles to stay alive in Tuesday’s primary. The seven-term congressman is leader of the Blue Dog Coalition, a caucus of fiscally-conservative Democrats. He is staunchly anti-abortion and has said he believes human DNA starts at the moment of conception.

He was also voted against the Affordable Care Act and the DREAM Act, and co-sponsored the First Amendment Defense Act, which prohibits the federal government from taking adverse actions against a person who opposes same-sex marriage. While he recognizes the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage as the “law of the land,” he is on record as opposing government recognition of gay marriage.

Newman has proven herself to be a credible and formidable challenger. She is a former marketing consultant, small business owner and anti-bullying advocate. She differs sharply from Lipinski on the issue of abortion and has received heavy financial backing from the pro-choice NAREL group, which has also endorsed the first-time candidate. Newman supports universal healthcare, livable wages and tax relief for working families, and common sense gun safety. She also supports protecting immigrant and LGBTQ rights. Lipinski has accused the upstart challenger of padding her resume.

Former presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont stepped over Lipinski and endorsed Newman. She’s racked up endorsements from the top progressive voices, including NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Human Rights Campaign, SEIU, MoveOn.org, EMILY's List, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Reps Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierréz, Gloria Steinem, Hispanic American Labor Council, Reclaim Chicago, National Nurses United and a slew of other top individuals and organizations.

Lipinski is endorsed by the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, the Chicago Firefighters Union and 13 labor unions — including Illinois AFL-CIO. The congressman has also won the endorsements of 30 suburban mayors from the 3rd District, as well as 54 women elected officials.

The Illinois 3rd Congressional District includes sections of Chicago's Southwest Side, and the south and western suburbs up to the Cook-DuPage border and a small part of Will County. The winner of Tuesday’s contest will face off against neo-Nazi and Holocaust denier Art Jones in November, who is the lone candidate running in the GOP primary.