Conservative Democrat Rep. Lipinski squeaks by in close primary

CHICAGO—Veteran Rep. Dan Lipinksi defeated a well-funded primary challenger, heading off a push by abortion rights groups and other left-leaning advocacy organizations looking to unseat one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress.

Marie Newman, a first-time candidate who also had the backing of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, gave Lipinski the toughest challenge he’s seen in his eight runs for Congress.

On Wednesday morning, facing a 1600-vote deficit with 97% of votes counted, Newman conceded the race to Lipinski. 

"After reviewing the results, we know that we lost by a thin margin," Newman said in a statement. "It was a good fight and I am so proud of the grassroots movement we built with hundreds of volunteers and partners all over the district."

The race garnered national attention as the progressive wing within the Democratic Party pushed for a more liberal and diverse cadre of candidates for November's general election. 

"We’re just beginning here to fight this battle over making sure that we elect people who fully understand that they’ve got to stand up for the people no matter what," said Nina Turner, president of Our Revolution, the activist spin-off organization of Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. "(Newman) gave it a gallant try and any progressive should not feel bad about that because nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Newman, who polls in January showed was down 24 percentage points in her bid to unseat Lipinski in Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District, was bolstered by about $1.6 million in television advertising, direct mail and other voter outreach efforts by a coalition of left-leaning groups that sought to bring down Lipinski.

That outside push against Lipinksi was spearheaded by NARAL Pro-Choice America and included the Human Rights Campaign, the Service Employees International Union, MoveOn, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and EMILY’s List.

They sought to define Lipinski, a pro-union Democrat staunchly opposed to abortion and at times out of step with his party on immigration and LGBTQ issues, as a party relic who is a Democrat in name only.

“This should be a wake up call to Dan Lipinski,” said JoDee Winterhof, the Human Rights Campaign's senior vice president for policy and political affairs. “A politician who has fought against the rights of LGBTQ people, women, and immigrants for more than a decade in Congress went from a 24-point lead to barely holding on to his job." 

The longtime congressman had his own backers, including including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and two influential unions — the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the AFL-CIO—also came to his aid.

The SBA List, a Virginia-based group that typically works to elect Republicans opposed to abortion, sent 70 college students into the district to campaign for Lipinski. Outside groups, such as Super PAC United for Progress and the groups No Labels and Country Forward, poured more than $1 million into the race with negative ads targeting Newman.

“The political center was left for dead. But this race shows it is alive and well,” said Joe Lieberman, the former Connecticut senator and No Labels co-chairman. “And it is not a moment too soon. The ideological purges happening in both parties are toxic for our democracy and it makes effective governance impossible."

Lipinski has ruffled feathers in the Democratic caucus for years, particularly after he became the lone member of the Illinois Democratic congressional delegation to vote in 2009 against former President Obama’s signature health law. He further angered many in his party when he declined to endorse Obama in his 2012 reelection bid.

Lipinski was first elected in 2004, following his father Rep. William Lipinski into Congress after he announced his retirement. The elder Lipinski served 22 years in the House.

Newman was a little-known candidate until the final weeks of the campaign. Her campaign picked up pace as she and Super PAC sought to depict Lipinksi as a “Trump Democrat” whose ideology was closer to the Republican president than his Democratic colleagues.

In addition to winning the endorsement of Sanders, a Vermont independent, Newman also received backing from several Democratic lawmakers, including New York Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand, Illinois Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierrez.

In a barrage of early campaign ads and on the stump, Newman questioned Lipinski’s commitment to LGBQT issues. He co-sponsored legislation that would prohibit the federal government from retaliating against a person who opposes same-sex marriage. And he initially opposed raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Alumni of Obama’s two presidential campaigns also piled on to Lipinski last week after United for Progress sent campaign mailers that included an image of the former president. One side of the mailer showed Obama with the caption, “Known for leading;” the other side had Newman's photo with the caption, “Known for misleading.”

David Axelrod, senior adviser to Obama, even called the advertising galling.

The congressman said in a USA TODAY interview last week that the push by left-leaning groups to defeat him shows that the Democratic Party is in danger of falling into the grips of a “Tea Party of the left.”

“The Democrats keep forgetting we’re down about 1,000 elected officials across the country. Four years ago in the House, we were at our lowest point since Herbert Hoover was president,” Lipinski said in an interview. “We got to be a big tent party, and unfortunately some people learned the wrong lesson.”

Contributing: Nicole Gaudiano