ENDORSEMENT: Marie Newman for Congress in 3rd District Democratic primary

Democratic voters in this district deserve to be represented by a consistent fighter for better health care, especially as the Trump administration continues its assault on the Affordable Care Act.

Marie Newman, a businesswoman from La Grange, leaves no doubt that she would make that fight.

The incumbent congressman, Daniel Lipinski, is a reluctant Democrat. He voted against the Affordable Care Act in 2010 before coming around and doing so later on.

Lipinski, we should add, also has voted against key legislation on immigration — measures widely favored by his own party — before coming around. And he’s been slow to support full rights and equality for LGBTQ folks, though of late he’s been coming around.

And why does Lipinski, who has never distinguished himself in Washington, finally keep coming around?

To keep winning elections. He has the great political misfortune to be a closet Republican, at least on social issues, in a strongly Democratic district.

Our endorsement goes to Newman. Nobody will have to give her a push to champion the values and policies of her own party.

Newman favors Medicare for all, which we do not. But she’s pragmatic enough to know it can’t happen tomorrow.

She is committed to legalizing and providing a path to citizenship for Dreamers, people who were brought to this country illegally as children. And she is a strong proponent of LGBTQ rights.

Newman also is pro-choice, while Lipinski is anti-abortion. At a time when the U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision protecting a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion, that difference in views could be enormously consequential.

We endorsed Lipinski over Newman in 2018 in part because we thought his more conservative views fit best in this traditionally white ethnic district. We’re no longer so sure. The district’s demographics have changed in the last couple of decades; it is now at least one-third Hispanic.

And Newman lost the 2018 primary by just 2,145 votes.

A third candidate in this race, business owner Rush Darwish, lacks experience. A fourth, Charles M. Hughes, works for Nicor Gas.

Illustration by Caroline Hurley

For more information about this race and others, including candidate questionnaires, go to our Illinois primary voting guide. Our newspaper is owned by a group of civic-minded and, in some cases, politically active investors; for details, see our owner information page.