Lipinski challenger Newman gets backing from SEIU, EMILY’s List

Feb. 02--Democrat Marie Newman's primary challenge to longtime U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski got a boost Friday from the Illinois chapter of the Service Employees International Union.

The political newcomer from LaGrange also got the backing of the political group EMILY's List. Newman has been attacking Lipinski's stances against abortion rights, protection for immigrants living in the country illegally and health care that she says are out of touch with voters in the Southwest Side and suburban district.

Lipinski is a seven-term incumbent who previously has announced the backing of 30 suburban mayors and the state's pre-eminent labor organization, the AFL-CIO. He's positioning himself as a pragmatist.

On Friday, SEIU state council President Tom Balanoff said Lipinski hasn't supported "working families."

"Illinois working families cannot trust Dan Lipinski to work for them in Washington," Balanoff said at a downtown news conference. "The working people of Illinois' 3rd District deserve a representative who truly represents their values."

In response to the Newman endorsements, Lipinski campaign spokesman Matthew Mayer released a statement saying Lipinski has voted in favor of working families in Congress and has fought against Republican attempts to weaken unions.

"At a time when everyone in organized labor should be focused on defeating Republicans and winning control of Congress so we can fight President (Donald) Trump from a position of strength, it is a shame that SEIU is instead choosing to divide labor and distract from the battle against Trump," Mayer said.

For Newman, SEIU money and manpower could help as she tries to boost her name recognition and differentiate herself from Lipinski among Democratic voters in the district.

The race is being watched as a proxy fight between the progressive and more conservative wings of the Democratic Party. Last month, Democratic U.S. Reps. Luis Gutierrez of Chicago and Jan Schakowsky of Evanston took the unusual step of endorsing Newman over their colleague.

EMILY's List also endorsed Newman on Friday, saying Lipinski "has not shown himself to be a leader that women and families can depend on" and "has put women's reproductive health care in jeopardy."

The group supports pro-abortion rights Democratic women for public office, and its large membership can mean big bucks to favored candidates.

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