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Dan Lipinski
Quick Hit
by Robert Dietz
1:10pm
Wed Apr 20, 2011
6 comments

Conservative Lipinski Draws Well-Funded Primary Challenger

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (3rd District) was one of just 34 Democrats in the House to oppose President Obama's sweeping health care reform, and one local, well-funded candidate is betting that's enough to cost him his seat in Congress. John Atkinson, an executive at Willis Group and an outspoken health care activist, is raising eyebrows with a hefty fundraising haul, and the moves of someone who will take on the heir of a Southwest Side political dynasty.

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PI Original
by Adam Doster
1:31pm
Thu Jun 10, 2010
23 comments

Lipinski, Health Care, And The 2012 Primary

Health Care

To survive this November, Rep. Dan Lipinski says incumbents need to "stand up for what they think is right." The question for Lipinski is how Democratic voters will feel about his "principles" in the spring of 2012.

Quick Hit
by Adam Doster
9:10am
Fri May 28, 2010

How The Illinois Delegation Voted On "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Congress moved two major steps closer to eliminating the military’s discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy late last night. The House attached an amendment repealing the law to this year’s defense authorization bill, which passed 234-194. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved a similar measure just a few hours before that, setting the stage for a major vote in the upper chamber following the Memorial Day recess.

Illinois' own Rep. Judy Biggert deserves some credit for being one of only five Republicans to cross the aisle to vote in favor of repeal. The same can't be said for GOP U.S. Senate nominee Mark Kirk, a one-time proponent of gay rights who has all but abandoned that constituency since deciding to run statewide. On the Democratic side, Illinois Reps. Jerry Costello and Dan Lipinski voted against the bill, along with 24 other members of the party.

If you're scoring at home, Lipinski previously voted against health care reform and cast a "present" vote on the stimulus packaage. The guy is practically begging for a primary challenge in 2012.

Quick Hit
by Adam Doster
1:27pm
Thu May 27, 2010
312 comments

Three Illinois Dems Wavering On Unemployment Benefits?

Yesterday, we posted an update on the federal jobs bill (H.R. 4213) that will extend the filing deadline for unemployment benefits through the end of 2010 as well as funding for Put Illinois To Work and similar programs nationwide. Today, there are a few more nuggets to pass along.

House Democratic leadership is busy trying to woo conservative Dems worried about the bill's price tag, currently at $190 billion. As a result, they've pared down their package by $40 billion, agreeing to extend benefits through November 30 as opposed to December 31. Even so, some deficit hawks aren't sold. The Heartland Alliance is hearing that three Illinois Democrats -- Reps. Jerry Costello, Mike Quigley, and Dan Lipinski -- might vote against the measure.  The organization is now urging its supporters to call their offices in favor of the bill.

Keep an eye on that roll call, possibly later today.

Quick Hit
by Josh Kalven
12:08pm
Thu Apr 8, 2010

Munoz Eyeing 2012 Possibilities

Ward Room's Edward McClellan has published an interesting interview with Rick Munoz, in which the Chicago alderman touches on Manny Flores' exit from the City Council, the coal-fired power plants in his 22nd Ward, and a controversial video that surfaced on YouTube last year.  Most significant, however, are Munoz' comments about a possible congressional bid in 2012:

If [Rep. Luis Gutierrez] were to retire next year, I'm running. If we create a new district on the South Side, where the incumbents are me and [3rd District Rep. Dan] Lipinski, I'm running.

Read the whole thing here.

PI Original
by Adam Doster
10:57am
Mon Mar 22, 2010
11 comments

The Faulty Objections Of Illinois' Health Care Opponents

Health Care

Now that Democrats have passed federal health care reform, we can expect to hear a lot of chatter from opponents about the bill's purported flaws. Most of it is just partisan misinformation.