Someone polling for an Ives challenge against Casten; Will she run?

WASHINGTON – Someone is paying for a poll to test how former state Sen. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, would do against freshman Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who represents the swing suburban sixth congressional district.

Ives, a conservative, almost defeated former Gov. Bruce Rauner and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti in the March, 2018 GOP primary, with Rauner struggling to attract Republicans while also keeping a distance from President Donald Trump.

In April, Sanguinetti announced a March, 2020 GOP primary bid in the sixth.

If Ives jumped in the contest, Sanguinetti would have to decide if she will be pulled to the right and if she would run from, or with, Trump whose name will be at the top of the ballot. Polls show Trump very unpopular in Illinois.

Ives, a West Point graduate, told the Chicago Sun-Times she is not closing any doors.

Ives was asked, “Are you interested or thinking about running for Congress in the 6th district?” and she replied, “We’ve you know, this for me it’s always been a team decision. I don’t do anything without my team supporting it and we’ve not made a decision on any race at all.”

Asked about the origins of the survey, she said, “You know, I don’t control that,” adding that she was one of the people getting a call from the polling firm.

Casten, allied with House centrist Democrats, pulled an upset in 2018 when be beat now former Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill.

The 6th Congressional District hugs the Chicago suburbs and includes parts of Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry and Lake counties.