IL-3: Rep. Lipinski's Challenge

Though she hasn’t raised a particularly large sum of money ($271,000 at the September 30th filing deadline) and has already spent well over half of what she does have ($97,600 remaining cash-on-hand), challenger Marie Newman is drawing strong support from liberal organizations in her bid to deny Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Western Springs/Chicago suburbs) re-nomination in the March 20th Democratic primary. 
 
Yesterday, the marketing consultant who is making her first run for public office announced official endorsements from NARAL Pro-Choice America, MoveOn.org, the Human Rights Campaign, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Democracy for America.   It is clear that her challenge strategy will center on developing a clear contrast on social issue positions, but it remains to be seen if such an approach will work against a seven-term incumbent whose father represented the district for the previous 22 years.  During the same financial disclosure filing period (ending Sept. 30), Rep. Lipinski reported more than $1.5 million in his campaign account, giving him an obvious major financial advantage.

--Jim Ellis