WASHINGTON — Hours after Democrats in Springfield approved a congressional remap putting Democratic Reps. Marie Newman and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in the same district, Newman announced Friday she will instead run against Rep. Sean Casten.
Newman, a freshman from LaGrange, will run in the new 6th District, which contains about 40% of her current 3rd District, including portions of the 19th, 14th, 23rd and 13th wards in Chicago — turf foreign to Casten, who is from Downers Grove.
Casten also announced on Friday he will seek another term, running from new 6th District.
Congressional candidates in Illinois do not have to live in the district they want to represent. Newman’s home is only about four blocks away from the new district line.
“I am proud to announce that I am once again running to represent the residents of Chicago’s Southwest Side and our neighbors in the surrounding west and southwest suburbs. The lion’s share of this new district is made up of the communities and residents I represent today, and I look forward to continuing to serve them in Congress,” Newman said in a statement.
Casten said in a statement, “Since the beginning of the redistricting process, I have never wanted to see friends run against friends. I believe the shared goal of every House Member is to maintain and expand our House majority and work on behalf of all constituents and community members who fought tirelessly to elect us. As I said last night, I look forward to continuing to serve the people of the 6th district as we work to make historic investments in climate action, and for families and workers.”
The map the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly is sending Gov. J.B. Pritzker to sign put Newman and Garcia together in a majority-Hispanic district.
State lawmakers made a priority of creating a second district in Illinois where a Hispanic member could likely be elected, not caring if a byproduct of carving out a new district was a Democratic primary between incumbents.
In an earlier version of the map, Newman and Casten were tossed into the same district. Casten lobbied hard in Springfield the past few days and when the fourth draft map — the one that was approved — materialized late on Thursday, Casten found himself in a district by himself.
His victory was short-lived, less than 24 hours.
Newman will challenge Casten and avoid a primary against Garcia, who, with Newman are leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Newman also understood a political reality: It would have been politically unthinkable to run against Garcia, who is only the second Hispanic member of Congress from Illinois.
Newman sent a signal she would do this in a statement she released on Thursday night when, referring to Casten, she castigated Springfield mapmakers for making a “clear attempt to appease one person and a small handful of affluent insiders.” The hardball play by Casten will likely only energize Newman’s grassroots networks.
On a second try in 2020, Newman beat Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., in the heavily Democratic district where winning the primary basically clinched the seat. The current 3rd District was custom drawn under the watchful eye of then-Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, to favor Lipinski, the son of his ally and Dan’s father, Rep. Bill Lipinski, D-Ill.
Newman also said in her statement, “As someone born and raised on Chicago’s Southwest Side and a lifelong resident of its surrounding suburbs, fighting for workers, small businesses, and the middle-class in these communities is in my DNA, and that fight is not going to stop now.”
“Last year, we made history by bringing together a coalition of neighbors, working families, volunteers, and voters from every corner of our communities to stand up against decades-old Machine politics, billionaires, and deep-pocketed special interests — and, we are doing it again.
“... From our grassroots organizers to our door-knockers on the ground, our coalition is ready to deliver for the workers, working families, and communities of this new district. From Elmhurst to Orland Park, I’m looking forward to working with everyone to build a stronger, more equitable future for our residents of the new IL-06.”
Under the remap, Democrats are aiming to elect 14 Democrats and three Republicans. Illinois lost a seat due to reapportionment after the 2020 census.
