Rep. Sean Casten beats fellow House Democrat Marie Newman in Illinois primary
- Monica Eng, author of Axios Chicago
Rep. Sean Casten. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Rep. Sean Casten has won a contentious Democratic primary against fellow House Rep. Marie Newman, per AP.
Why it matters: After Illinois lost a congressional seat, the two incumbent Democrats ran against each other. While both are progressive and share many of the same stances on guns and climate, Casten has been seen as a more moderate candidate with a better chance to win this formerly-Republican held district.
Between the lines: Newman previously represented the 3rd district until much of it was carved into the 6th.
- The 6th includes parts of the Chicago suburbs, like Downers Grove, but was remapped to take over parts of the 3rd in Southwestern Cook County.
- Carving Newman's 3rd district seemed to telegraph disrespect from Democratic party leaders in charge of the new map.
Of note: The race was extremely acrimonious.
- Newman faced allegations that she'd bribed a potential primary challenger with a job offer and is under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics, though Newman has denied any wrongdoing.
Newman came to Congress after beating one of the last anti-abortion Democrats, Rep. Dan Lipinski, in a primary challenge. In light of the Roe v. Wade decision, she had continued to highlight her record on abortion rights, though Casten has also been supportive of abortion rights.