Former advertising executive Marie Newman finally threw in the towel Wednesday morning after refusing to concede a hard-fought race to Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) on election night, even as she strongly suggested a possible 2020 rematch.
“Last night, we wanted to make sure that every vote was counted, that every voice was heard. We believed there was a possibility of victory,” Newman said in a statement released Wednesday morning. “After reviewing the results, we know that we lost by a thin margin.”
Newman went on to say that she plans to continue “to hold him accountable” going forward and will seek to knock him out of office in 2020 — a strong sign she’ll run again. Some Newman allies including Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) have suggested to TPM that might happen if she lost a close race on Tuesday.
Her statement came after Newman cancelled a planned Wednesday press conference.
Lipinski, one of the House’s most conservative Democrats and a co-chairman of the Blue Dog Coalition, won a close race Tuesday night by a 51 percent to 49 percent margin. But with some votes still outstanding late in the evening Newman refused to concede, telling her supporters she “would like Lipinski to have a very painful evening” so she’d hold off until the next day.
Newman lost in spite of big support from an array of national Democratic groups furious at Lipinski for his anti-abortion stances, vote against Obamacare, and previous opposition to the DREAM Act and gay marriage. That coalition was spearheaded by NARAL Pro-Choice America and backed by Human Rights Campaign, SEIU, MoveOn, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and EMILY’s List. They spent $1.6 million on her behalf, largely fueling her campaign. But it wasn’t quite enough to beat Lipinski and the still-powerful Chicago Democratic machine.
“even as she strongly suggested a possible 2020 rematch.”
She probably should.
One that the really bothers me about Jon Ossoff, is his decision not to run against Handel again this year. He spent millions creating name recognition and building grassroots support and organization. Why in the world would you give that up and not capitalize on it immediately?
This article omits the most crucial factor in Lipinski’s close victory: this was an open primary. Republicans who didn’t want to vote for the neo-Nazi voted for Lipinski. Utterly idiotic system.
To me this is a very sad story to wake up to. Wake up call or further confirmation the the Democratic machine that they are right and invincible? Ugh.
This is disturbing for the dems. Lipinski is not a dem in any sense of the word, not socially, not policy wise. Why he calls himself a democrat is a mystery to me. Democrats need to have a standard national platform which includes pro choice. Personally, they can be pro or against abortion/birth control etc…(catholics), but officially they have to be pro choice. Choice is the key word. This guy is/was against many other democratic positions including LGBTQ and Obamacare. He’s not a democrat in any name or form. Democrats have to distinguish themselves from republicans/evangelicals on a few points if they want the support of the more progressives.
Newman will run again in 2020. We need to be as relentless as the Republicans and their enablers. Meanwhile Lipinski will think long and hard before he votes against his party again.