South Cook News

Many Republican voters in Illinois’ southwest suburban Third Congressional District are planning to pull Democrat-- not GOP-- ballots on March 17, voting for incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Western Springs) over socialist challenger Marie Newman of La Grange and not in their own primary elections.

Newman, endorsed by presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, is part of a crop of far-left Democrat primary candidates inspired by freshman U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

In Congress, Newman hopes to join Ocasio-Cortez’ and her “squad,” pushing measures to double federal income taxes, ban private health insurance, ban fossil fuels and open U.S. borders, making all immigration legal.

It’s all too much for Republican John Ryan of Oak Lawn.

“We don't want the next AOC, which is how Dan's opponent Marie Newman is positioning herself,” Ryan said. “There are enough far-left progressives in Congress.”

In 2018, Lipinski narrowly defeated Newman by 2,145 votes, 48,675 (51.2 percent) to 46,397 (48.8 percent). He then won the general election handily, 163,053 (73 percent) to 57,885 (25.9 percent) for Republican Arthur Jones.

Republican Mary Esterhammer-Fic of Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood said the GOP would need a miracle to prevail in a district that’s “been controlled by Democrats for the last 60 years.”

“If I'm being honest, I know this is a seat that is very hard for us to win,” she said. “(Lipinski’s) a solid guy who isn't afraid to buck his party's leadership and vote his conscience. He believes in family values and getting things done for the working class.”

“There is no way I want Marie Newman and her Green New Deal/Medicare for All nonsense representing me. But that could happen if Republicans don't support Dan. That's the reality and that's why I vote for him,” Esterhammer-Fic said.

An analysis of Illinois voter data by South Cook News found that 10,241 2016 GOP primary voters in the third district pulled Democrat ballots in the 2018 primary. About one in four lived in Lyons Township, home to Lipinski and Newman.

Trump vs. Rocky De La Fuente

Perhaps further motivating Cook County Republicans this primary season to crossover and vote for Lipinski: they have zero contested primary elections on the ballot Mar. 17.

President Donald Trump faces off on the GOP ballot against Roque ‘Rocky” De La Fuente, a perennial candidate who ran as a Democrat for president in 2016.

Former Republican Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, 57, is the favorite of five candidates vying for the right to take on incumbent U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Springfield) in November. But Curran had just $9,964 in cash on hand as of Feb. 26, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports, and has spent virtually nothing on advertising thus far, save for buying yard signs.

In the GOP primary for the Third Congressional District, Will County Board Member Mike Fricilone of Homer Glen is endorsed by the Illinois Republican Party over Holocaust denier and insurance broker Arthur Jones and Oak Lawn real estate agent Cathy O’Shea.

Fricilone has spent zero on advertising or marketing in 2020. Neither Jones nor O’Shea have raised any outside campaign funds, according to FEC records.

Also, Republican Cook County voters could be motivated to vote against State’s Attorney Kim Foxx of Flossmoor, facing a primary challenge from Bill Conway and Donna More.

Foxx, like Newman, is supported by far left-wing and socialist-leaning campaign donors nationally. 

The Third Congressional District includes Chicago’s 19th, 13th, 11th and 23rd wards as well as parts of Alsip, Bedford Park, Berwyn, Bridgeview, Burbank, Burr Ridge, Cicero, Chicago Ridge, Countryside, Forest View, Hickory Hills, Hillside, Hodgkins, Hometown, Indian Head Park, Justice, La Grange, La Grange Park, Lemont, Lyons, Merrionette Park, North Riverside, Oak Lawn, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Riverside, Summit, Western Springs, Willow Springs, Westchester and Worth in Cook County and Romeoville, Crest Hill, Homer Glen and Lockport in Will County.

——

Cross-over vote

More than 10,000 2016 GOP voters in the third congressional district pulled Democrat ballots in 2018. Where do they live?

Township/Ward	Estimated Crossover	Crossover % of total	Lipinski	Newman	Total Votes	Lipinski %	Newman %
Berywn Township	115	9%	493	726	1,219	40.4%	59.6%
City of Chicago	2,424	6%	22,361	17,292	39,653	56.4%	43.6%
Cicero Township	124	13%	555	422	977	56.8%	43.2%
Downers Grove Township	12	9%	53	82	135	39.3%	60.7%
DuPage Township	58	9%	225	404	629	35.8%	64.2%
Homer Township	547	19%	1,259	1,614	2,873	43.8%	56.2%
Joliet Township	56	10%	209	326	535	39.1%	60.9%
Lemont Township	427	19%	1,079	1,149	2,228	48.4%	51.6%
Lockport Township	361	12%	1,318	1,805	3,123	42.2%	57.8%
Lyons Township	2,367	15%	6,558	8,939	15,497	42.3%	57.7%
Orland Township	1,115	16%	3,237	3,711	6,948	46.6%	53.4%
Palos Township	885	15%	3,035	3,039	6,074	50.0%	50.0%
Stickney Township	391	10%	2,309	1,746	4,055	56.9%	43.1%
Worth Township	1,368	12%	5,984	5,142	11,126	53.8%	46.2%
TOTAL	10,250	11%	48,675	46,397	95,072	51.2%	48.8%

*Illinois State Board of Elections