Democrat to speak at anti-abortion rally after tough primary challenge

[brooklynite]

Source: The Hill

Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), one of Congress's few anti-abortion Democrats, will speak at the March for Life this month after skipping last year's event in the midst of a tough primary challenge.

He was scheduled to speak at last year's rally, but bailed after getting criticized by abortion rights groups that supported his opponent Marie Newman.

He later said he did not want to share a stage with President Trump, who addressed the rally via a live feed.

Abortion rights groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood fought to unseat Lipinski, one of the few remaining anti-abortion Democrats in Congress. NARAL attacked Lipinski for planning to speak at last year's rally, arguing that it was "proof of his extreme agenda."

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/424431-democrat-to-speak-at-anti-abortion-rally-after-tough-primary-challenge

[nycbos]

1. Illinois has an open primary.

A lot of Republicans voted for him for this reason.

[SunSeeker]

4. Figures there was some shenanigans. Most people are pro-choice.

Certainly the vast majority of Dems are.

[still_one]

16. It wasn't because of any shenanigans, unless you refer to the open primary as the shenanigan

Republicans by a large majority crossed over during that primaries to vote for Lipinski

That is why those who believe in the Open Primary are playing with a double edged sword.

Open primaries allow non-Democrats to choose who the Democratic nominee will be. It should be embarrassing to those progressives who advocate open primaries. That third district in Illinois is the poster child why the PROGRESSIVE candidate, Newman lost to Lipinski in that primary.

This is going to come back and bite us again. California is probably the most vulnerable state where that can happen. In the 2018 midterms we had 35 candidates running for Senate. Dianne Feinstein won by 10 points, but with so many candidates in that race, anything could have happened. As an example, Arnold Schwarzenegger was definitely helped by our crazy election system in California after the Gray Davis recall. It was like almost every publicity seeking person wanted to run for Governor. It was a circus, and California got exactly what it deserved, deeper in debt, and Schwarzenegger left the state in a financial disaster, with credit downgrade, which helped propel Jerry Brown into victory. Governor Brown left our state with a surplus, and restored our credit rating.


Ironically, republicans advertise themselves as the "financially responsible party", but from the Reagan trickle down, deregulation economy, to George W. Bush, to trump, time and time again, that has been proven wrong. You would have thought people would have learned by now

[SunSeeker]

19. Republicans voting in the Dem primary is a shenanigan.

That is why I am against open primaries.

[still_one]

20. We are in 100% agreement. Here in California I am concerned we are going to get burnt by that

I know a lot of folks automatically think of California as a progressive state, and it is to a large degree, but there are also large section that are quite red.

I remember hearing Barbara Boxer speaking at a political rally emphasizing the point that in many respects California is an "independent" state, and Democrats should never take anything for granted.

The election of Ronald Reagan, George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson, Arnold Schwarzenegger only serve as a warning to what Senator Boxer said.

[SunSeeker]

2. I have no problem with someone not wanting to have an abortion.

But not someone who wants to force their choice on me...or anyone else. Fuck that shit.

[nycbos]

9. That is the definition of being pro-choice.

[SunSeeker]

12. Yes. And "Pro Life" is the definition of anti-choice.

[sakabatou]

3. WTF?

[pecosbob]

5. It's the season for The Hill to explain to us why we should hate Democrats...

[brooklynite]

8. So you're saying the news like this should NOT be reported?

[pecosbob]

10. Not at all, esteemed poster

Just want to remind everyone that this is the time every other media article will attempt to divide Dems. Not to indicate we should squelch the news, simply accord it the attention it deserves and no more. Thanks for the cue for me to be clearer on the subject.

[still_one]

17. Lipinsiki won over the progressive, because of the open primary in that district, and republicans

in large numbers crossed over to vote for Lipinski in that primary which was why the progressive candidate lost

[RhodeIslandOne]

6. This was a guy who should have been picked off

In a safe D district this is where you get rid of DINOs. By the way, his opposition was the Nazi dude(in the general).

[GulfCoast66]

7. He had a primary challenge that got a good amount of support.

But he is serving in the seat his father held, if I remember correctly. The name one it for him.

[recentevents]

14. His opposition was supported by Bernie Sanders

I'll just leave it at that.

[still_one]

18. It wasn't because of Sanders endorsement of Newman why she lost in the primary, but because of

the open primary, which ironically Sanders and many of his base support was why she lost. Because of the open primary, republicans crossed over to vote for Lipinski, and that was the major factor why Newman lost the primary

[former9thward]

11. Nothing new.

He has been anti-abortion his entire career as was his father before him. The voters of that district are well aware of his views.

[onenote]

13. While Trump only got 39 percent in Lipinski's district in 2016

that was more than Trump got in any Illinois district won by a Democratic house candidate.

Still, one would think he might be vulnerable to a more progressive challenger

[MiniMe]

15. Let me know when he grows a uterus