IL-03 Congressional Election: Dan Lipinski Faces Art Jones

It may not be the most watched congressional race in the 2018 midterm election, but Illinois’s 3rd Congressional District race could be the most bizarre, pitting a moderate Democratic incumbent against an avowed neo-Nazi who says he “snookered” his way onto the GOP ballot during the March primary.

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski is working on his seventh term in Congress. He faced a formidable challenge from progressive Democrat Marie Newman in what was touted as a battle for the soul of the Democratic Partyduring the March primary. Lipinski narrowly won by 2,145 votes.

Holocaust-denying and perennial candidate Art Jones, of Lyons, is the Republican challenger. He makes no bones about his neo-Nazi past. While Jones claims he is no longer a Nazi, he says he agrees with the Nazis philosophically. He was tossed off the ballot in 2016 purportedly for photo-copying signatures on his nominating positions. Jones ran unopposed in the March 2018 Republican primary, and garnered 20,681 votes.

Lipinski has said little about his opponent, except for a few emails over the summer denouncing Jones while soliciting campaign donations. His primary foe, Newman, also asked 3rd District democrats to support Lipinski, telling supporters "we absolutely have to beat an avowed Nazi."

The Southwest Side congressman is also facing three write-in candidates: Justin Hanson, a LaGrange attorney; Oak Lawn dentist Kenneth Yerkes; and Green Party candidate Richard Mayers.

Lipinski is leader of the Blue Dog Coalition, a congressional caucus of fiscally conservative Democrats and serves on the House transportation committee. He portends to be interested in “bread and butter” issues, including expanding the middle class, helping small businesses succeed and creating local jobs.

The congressman has said in the past that individual states should decide whether or not to legalize marijuana. On LGBTQ rights and marriage equality, Lipinski said he would abide by the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 2015 decision, making same-sex marriage the law of the land.

One issue Lipinski and Jones do agree upon is abortion: both are staunchly opposed to it.

Jones says he supports President Donald Trump but doesn’t care for Trump’s “punk” son-in-law and senior White House advisor Jared Kushner, who is Jewish. As far as the Holocaust, Jones has called it “the blackest lie in history” that’s nothing more than an “international extortion racket by the Jews.” He says he supports the “democratic process.”

Write-in candidate Justin Hanson says he’s not running as a Republican alternative, but is merely an “alternative.” He’s pro-immigration reform, pro-choice, pro-Second Amendment rights to bear arms but with stricter gun control, thinks the Affordable Care Act is a step in the right direction, and educational incentives for vocational training.

“I’ve campaigned to give voters on choice on social issues,” Hanson said. “I believe in greater equality and a women’s authority over their bodies but have to hold their nose to vote for Dan Lipinski.”

Hanson, who grew up in Bridgeview, got into the race because he was appalled that a neo-Nazi got on the ballot. Hanson’s spent part of his time placing “Art Jones Is A Nazi” signs next to Jones’ lawn signs. He wants to decimate Jones’ vote. Hanson says he could not stand the idea of anyone not standing up to Jones.

“I’m afraid of people accepting these horrible things in candidates just because they’re from that party,” Hanson said. “We’re the only one who’s saying anything about this despite my pleas. Dan Lipinski has put nothing into this and I don’t want to see people unwittingly vote for a Nazi. ”

Illinois's 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.

Photo: Dan Lipinski (left) and Art Jones | Provided