Two incumbents square off in new 6th District
Newman, Casten battle for Dem nod
By Steve Metsch
It doesn’t happen often, but voters in the new 6th Congressional District have an unusual choice in the June 28 Democratic primary.
Because of redistricting, two sitting members of Congress–Marie Newman and Sean Casten– are going toe-to-toe for the nomination in the June 28 primary.
The district is mostly suburban, but includes almost all of Clearing and Garfield Ridge, as well as the Beverly, Morgan Park and Mount Greenwood neighborhoods in the city.
Casten lives in the district. Because of redistricting, Newman lives just a few blocks outside it.
Asked about the odd situation, Casten found a reason to embrace it.
“There’s something beautiful about redistricting in the sense that you have to go out and meet a lot of new people,” Casten said.
“It’s a different kind of district with different issues, but I feel good about where we are, where we are connecting,” Casten said.
Rest assured, Casten, 50, wants to win his third term in Congress: “None of us are here to win silver medals.”
Newman, 58, obviously agrees with that as she seeks a second term. She defeated longtime Rep. Dan Lipinski two years ago after narrowly losing to him in the 2018 primary.
“I’ve learned when you convene all the stakeholders and talk about the problems … you are best disposed to develop solutions together and bring that legislation to D.C.,” Newman said.
With advisory councils, not to mention 500 meet-and-greets in the past two years, Newman said, “I understand this district at a molecular level.”
Inflation and gun violence, each candidate said, are high among the concerns of voters they’ve met on the campaign trail.
“What are we going to do to protect folks?” Casten said, noting the House recently passed gun control plans that will probably not be approved by the Senate.
“Of course, we still have the saga of Ukraine and what’s going to happen there,” Casten said. “Yet when you sit down and chat with people, ask them if they are better off than two years ago, people are really pretty positive.”
Newman said she’s always made a point to have a Republican member of Congress co-sponsor her bills because she wants people to know the two sides can work together.
“We agree on a lot more than we disagree,” Newman said.
Asked about choosing between two members of Congress, Casten said: “If the voters are educated, they’ll make the right decision.”
Each is pro-choice, and have solid records with labor, Casten said.
Newman recently went public about her own story about deciding to have an abortion was she was 19. She is now married with two adult children.
Casten, who lives in Downers Grove said a big difference with Newman is his focus on climate change, but Newman has also made climate change part of her legislative focus.
A visit to each candidate’s website reveals what they hope to accomplish on a wide range of issues.
Newman recently introduced a bill to reduce small business taxes by 5%, which preceded the recent rocketing inflation.
She’s also worked on a bill that allows better access for business owners to needed capital, with minorities and female owners at the front of the line, so to speak.
Regardless of the outcome, Casten is hoping people come out and vote.
“The thing I emphasize for everybody is democracy works only if people participate,” he said. “There are a lot of people in Washington who are trying to make it harder for people to vote, trying to convince people it’s not worth their time, and they’re having success
The most important thing is to not get demoralized. Be educated. As long as you do that, we’ll pass this democracy on to our children better that it was,” he said.
A third candidate, Garfield Ridge resident Charles M. “Chuck” Hughes is also on the ballot.
Trying to capitalize on the Newman-Casten incumbency, Hughes is portraying himself as a political outsider, a kind of Gas Pump Democrat aiming to tap into voter anger over the economy.
In a campaign video posted on TikTok, Hughes stands at a gas station pump and implies that high gasoline prices and more are the fault of elected officials.
“I’ve raised a family, and I know what it is to scrape by,” Hughes said. “Both of my opponents are ‘bought and paid for’ career politicians.
“If you want someone like you [in Washington], rather than someone who screws you, vote for me.”
Tim Hadac contributed to this story.
Editor’s note: Casten was interviewed for this story on June 10, three days before his 17-year-old daughter was found dead in the family’s home. Newman has released a statement expressing her deep sorrow for the Casten family.
Local News
St. Laurence hoops teams top honor roll
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area basketball teams proved to be strong on the court and in the classroom this season, and St. Laurence was the leader of the pack. The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association compiled a list of the top academic teams, and the area did well. In Division 3 girls, St. Laurence…
Chicago Bears recognize St. Rita senior with All-Star award
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Chances are good that few outside of St. Rita football circles know who David Lyle is. With good reason. Lyle missed his senior season for the Mustangs last fall after sustaining a serious knee injury. He even postponed having knee surgery so that he could take care of his…
Pols want 63rd St. armory for new police HQ
Spread the love. Porfirio, Guerrero-Cuellar push plan in Springfield . By Tim Hadac Any plans the Chicago Department of Aviation may have had for the vacant Army National Guard Midway Armory, 5400 W. 63rd St., may be grounded, at least for now. Several elected officials are eyeing the parcel as the headquarters of a new…
Her back against the wall, Stacy needs help
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . Clearing and Garfield Ridge have earned a reputation as a place where people look out for each other—and that sometimes means caring for each other in times of need. Today, I want to talk about one such person, who sure could use…
It’s (pizza) party time at OLS
Spread the love. Third graders at Our Lady of the Snows School break into cheers as they learn they’ve won a pizza party for selling more raffle booklets than any other class. The recent Grand Raffle fundraiser brought in about $6,000. Parents looking for a grade school for their sons and daughters for 2024-25 are…
Dart wants free mental health care for first responders
Spread the love. From staff reports The Illinois Senate has passed legislation proposed by Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart that eliminates out-of-pocket expenses for first responders seeking mental health treatment. “We ask first responders to be constantly exposed to traumatic and dangerous situations to protect us,” Dart said. “This legislation is a solid step…
Hunt man who tried to rob Chase Bank
Spread the love. FBI looking for tips from public . From staff reports FBI officials are appealing to the public for help in finding a man who attempted to rob a Southwest Side bank branch. The bandit tried to rob the Chase Bank branch at 5687 S. Archer (just west of Laramie) at about 11…
Casten lauds Biden for ‘clean energy’ move
Spread the love. From staff reports A move designed to spur the responsible development of clean energy on America’s public lands was recently lauded by U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-6th). The congressman, co-chairman of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force, joined by co-chairman Mike Levin (D-Calif.), released a…
E-Notary makes things easier, Giannoulias says
Spread the love. From staff reports Illinois residents will no longer have to notarize documents in person under a new Electronic-Notary system administered by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office. Electronic Notarization, or “E-Notary,” will radically change the way people and use notary services, Giannoulias predicted. Without leaving the home or office, an individual or…
Neighbors
Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…
Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. “No one…
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…
Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans
By PETER HANCOCK and JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…