Progressive challenger defeats establishment Democrat in primary
Washington — Congressman Dan Lipinski, one of the few remaining Democrats in the House who oppose abortion rights, was defeated by progressive challenger Marie Newman in the Illinois primary on Tuesday.
The Chicago-area congressman narrowly defeated Newman in the 2018 primary, but his stance on abortion and his vote against the Affordable Care Act made him a pariah in his party. Newman had garnered endorsements from several prominent progressive Democrats, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, and from groups such as EMILY's List, which is dedicated to electing pro-choice women to public office.
Warren tweeted her congratulations to Newman on Tuesday evening, saying that "Illinois families are getting the unwavering champion they deserve."
Lipinski's defeat comes two weeks after Congressman Henry Cuellar, a conservative Democrat in Texas, was able to fend off a primary challenge from progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros.
Newman's victory came as former Vice President Joe Biden swept the presidential primaries in Illinois, Florida and Arizona, defeating Senator Bernie Sanders in all three states.
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