State Rep. Delia Ramirez trounced Chicago Alderman Gil Villegas in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ newly drawn and solidly blue 3rd Congressional District, besting an influx of spending by billionaire-backed organizations working to defeat progressive candidates nationwide.
“Tonight, the Illinois 3rd Congressional District has spoken—we are rooted and we are ready,” Ramirez said after she was officially declared the winner. As of this writing, Ramirez leads Villegas by a margin of 65.8% to 23.7%.
“She’s the type of fighter we need to defeat MAGA extremism.”
Democratic Majority for Israel, a billionaire-funded political action committee with ties to AIPAC, spent more than $157,000 on the race in an attempt to defeat Ramirez, a Medicare for All and Green New Deal supporter endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Rep. Chuy García (D-Ill.), and other prominent progressives.
Ramirez also faced opposition spending from the Mainstream Democrats PAC, a group funded by billionaire LinkedIn co-founder and venture capitalist Reid Hoffman. The organization has invested heavily to beat insurgent progressives and boost right-wing Democrats—including Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas)—in midterm primary races across the country, with mixed success.
The Charter Schools Action Fund and the National Association of Realtors also delved into the race on Villegas’ side.
“In our corrupt political system, billionaires and their super PACs are spending millions to defeat progressive candidates,” Sanders said earlier this week. “They want a ‘two party’ system in which everyone is owned by wealthy donors. They have the money, but we’ve got the people.”
Ramirez, who vowed to reject corporate PAC money, benefited from significant outside spending by progressive groups such as the Working Families Party, which poured nearly $638,000 into the race on her behalf.
“Delia Ramirez has already proven what a Working Families Democrat can do in office, and now she’s going to bring that leadership to Congress,” Natalia Salgado, director of federal affairs at the Working Families Party, said in a statement late Tuesday. “In just three years as a state legislator, she led successful efforts to codify abortion rights, pass Medicaid coverage for everyone over 42, and secure hundreds of millions of dollars in rental and mortgage relief for people across Illinois.”
“Delia has always shown up for her community and tonight, voters showed up for her,” Salgado added. “We were proud to back Delia on day one, and we’re looking forward to partnering with her in Congress to pass a working families agenda.”
Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of the Indivisible Project—which also supported Ramirez—said that “we’re ecstatic a true, grassroots progressive is well on her way to Congress, ready to fight for her community.”
“It’s clear that Democratic voters want authentic community leaders like Delia, even if Republican mega-donors might disagree,” said Greenberg. “Delia is a model of bold, principled leadership and we’ve been proud to stand behind her… She’s the type of fighter we need to defeat MAGA extremism.”
Bernie also endorsed Jackson so his victory is good, but not thrilled by those crypto donations. I don’t think Bernie endorsed Collins against do nothing incumbent Davis though I’m sure she was his preferred candidate.
The son of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson won Tuesday’s primary election for the congressional seat that had been held for 30 years by former Black Panther Bobby Rush, while longtime U.S. Rep. Danny Davis appeared to have fended off a progressive challenger to secure a 14th term in Congress.
First-time candidate Jonathan Jackson, buoyed by name recognition from his famous father and more than $1 million in outside spending by groups affiliated with the cryptocurrency industry, had been leading in most polls since he announced his candidacy to replace Rush in February.
Seventeen candidates had sought to replace Rush in the primary, the winner of which is all but assured of winning the seat in the November general election.
The mood was jubilant at the DuSable Museum of African American History as Jonathan Jackson, joined by his father and a full band, took the stage to announce victory around 9 p.m.
Rev. Jackson sat teary-eyed by his son as Jonathan Jackson addressed the crowd. Jonathan Jackson handed flowers to his wife, sisters and daughters and thanked his 80-yer-old father.
“No matter how high I go, I’ll always look up to you,” he said.
“We have some challenges that are ahead of us, and I want to thank you for bestowing upon me this high and great honor to trust me with your vote, to represent you, in Washington D.C.,” Jackson said. “The South Side has been left behind, and I want you to know the South Side of Chicago matters.”
With 94% of precincts reporting, Jackson led the field with 28% of ballots cast, trailed by Ald. Pat Dowell with 19 % and Rush’s endorsed pick for the seat, Karin Norington-Reaves, with 14%.
The primary battle between Davis and Collins in the 7th District got national press attention as a barometer of the ongoing struggle between moderate Democrats and a new generation of more progressive newcomers.
“It’s been a hard fight, but I can also tell you that the victory is sweet,” Davis said from the podium at the National Association of Letter Carriers hall in Bronzeville. “And I can tell you why it is so sweet — it’s because grassroots people are the ones who did it.”
Collins, a community activist, was backed by nearly $400,000 in spending by the progressive Justice Democrats PAC —which recruited U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib to run in 2018.
Collins improved on her 14% showing in 2020, when Davis won 61% of the votes in a four-way race.
While Collins raised about $150,000 more than Davis during the campaign cycle and out-spent the incumbent $530,000 to $136,000, Davis was buoyed late by endorsements from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden — as well as a burst of $425,000 in spending from a “dark money” group affiliated with moderate Democratic House leaders.
orlbucfan
Collins runs again, and makes an issue out of Pelousy, Byedone, and their corruption and connection to dark money, she will have an excellent chance to win.
Women are going to hospitals with a life-threatening nonviable ectopic pregnancy but the doctors can't do anything about it until her vitals start crashing, which the doctors hope is enough of a "medical emergency" to satisfy Missouri's Republican AG. https://t.co/KYTvdZcG5Ohttps://t.co/PCwqr6WAsbpic.twitter.com/uUJOYxG9SQ
for conservatives, of course, originalism is just a sound they blurt out while ruling that "DemoRAT laws are unconstitutional" pic.twitter.com/RWnDRVvDy3
The conservative Supreme Court’s favorite judicial philosophy requires a very, very firm grasp of history — one that none of the justices seem to possess.
orlbucfan
Not that bunch of stupid troglodytes. For some reason, troglodyte has been my word of the day. Wonder why?
I would like to congratulate Nikki Budzinski on her win tonight. She had one of the most well ran political campaigns in the entire country. It is key to unify the Democratic Party and do whatever is needed to flip the 13th Congressional District Blue!
— David Palmer for Congress (@PalmerforIL) June 29, 2022
Political newcomer Sarahana Shrestha scored an election victory for the Democratic party line over 13-term incumbent Kevin Cahill, garnering 7,702 votes to Cahill’s 7,173 vote tally.
If the results stand, Shrestha’s win will mean that for the first time since 1999, Cahill, a Democrat from Kingston, will be without a spot on the November ballot.
The final vote tally won’t be known until absentee and affidavit ballots are counted in the coming days.
Shrestha’s victory is the second for the Mid-Hudson Valley chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.
In November, the group took credit for the upset victory of Democrat Philip Erner over longtime incumbent Democrat David Donaldson in the race for a seat on the Ulster County Legislature.
Shrestha is the Ulster County co-chair for the Mid-Hudson Valley chapter of Democratic Socialists of America and a leader in Public Power NY, a coalition of organizations focused on promoting a clean, renewable, affordable and accessible power supply.
A native of Nepal, Shrestha became a U.S. citizen in 2019. She is currently a resident of Esopus.
Cahill is serving his 13th two-year term in the Assembly. A city of Kingston resident, Cahill served one term in the state Assembly from 1993-94, then lost his seat to Republican John Guerin. Cahill was re-elected in 1999 and has been re-elected to two-year terms since.
Shrestha, who will also hold the Working Families line will face Republican Patrick Sheehan, a Ruby resident, in the November general election.
Because a state judge has ruled the state Assembly district lines unconstitutional, the district boundary lines will be redrawn prior to the 2004 election, meaning the winner of the November race will serve only one term in the currently configured Assembly district.
.@KenPaxtonTX announced that prosecutors are 'immediately' empowered to pursue criminal charges against individuals for actions breaching Texas state abortion bans passed in the mid-1920s.https://t.co/osEdztkmTr
I was stuck in LGA for over 7 hours, then on a plane, then had to wait nearly 7 hours for another connecting flight last Friday. I think the sinus infection was coming, but covid discovered it and made it worse. It’s been like getting the vaccine but without the sore arm.
orlbucfan
I am NOT looking forward to flying next month! Got plenty of N95 masks.
I was little lax in wearing them in the airport coming back. Suggest wearing them all of the time. I wore the mask in restrooms and on the plane, but not while sitting the terminals/concourses.
I wore my n95 from the instant I got to the airport until I got in my cab home on my recent trip. You can’t take your chances on the people going through airports being responsible or respectful. Was very dehydrated after a cross-country flight, but that’s better than the alternative!
I will be masked from the time I get to OIA until I get outside in Nashville. Only time I will pull down my mask is if I eat and/or drink. I haven’t caught the Covid crud, and will not do so!
memo to the media: “moderate” democrats are driving the strategy of the party. they hold every powerful position. they wanted to pass infrastructure and kill build back better. why are they constantly going on about how tough they have it? they literally drove us into this ditch!
Illinois’s potential Democrat representatives moved substantially more progressive last night, up and down ballot. Framing it as bittersweet obfuscates the result. Also, any postmortem of the Newman result should note the impact of the ongoing House ethics investigation into her.
She certainly took advantage of insider trading while in Congress. She is progressive, but she’s still worried about running out of money (like Hillary).
Torabs
You can’t be progressive and engage in insider trading lmao
It probably also didn’t help her that Casten’s teenage daughter died unexpectedly two weeks before the election. Newman took down all her negative ads. I’m sure there was some sympathy vote involved in an electorate that probably was ok with either candidate.
Some airlines are “delaying” flights rather than cancelling them in order to avoid fines.
orlbucfan
T and R x 2 w/thanks, jcb!! ☮️🙂👍I sure do envy you and the Bennys. You all can vote for actual humans, not crooked troglodytes like we’ve got down here.🤬💩
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that Oklahoma authorities can prosecute certain crimes on Native American lands, narrowing a landmark victory that tribes in the state had won from the court just two years ago.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the decision for a 5-4 majority, ruling that both state and federal law enforcement have jurisdiction to prosecute certain crimes committed in tribal territory.
“We conclude that the Federal Government and the State have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed by non-Indians against Indians in Indian country,” Kavanaugh wrote.
He was joined in the majority by Chief Justice John Roberts as well as Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, a member of the court’s conservative wing, joined the three liberal justices in dissent.
Gorsuch, who wrote the landmark 2020 ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma that found much of the state belongs to the Muscogee Nation, said in his dissent on Wednesday that the majority is defying the country’s history in establishing sovereignty for Native American reservations.
“Now, at the bidding of Oklahoma’s executive branch, this Court unravels those lower-court decisions, defies Congress’s statutes requiring tribal consent, offers its own consent in place of the Tribe’s, and allows Oklahoma to intrude on a feature of tribal sovereignty recognized since the founding,” Gorsuch wrote. “One can only hope the political branches and future courts will do their duty to honor this Nation’s promises even as we have failed today to do our own.
From start to finish, the dissent employs extraordinary rhetoric in articulating its deeply held policy views about what Indian law should be,” Kavanaugh wrote. “The dissent goes so far as to draft a proposed statute for Congress. But this Court’s proper role under Article III of the Constitution is to declare what the law is, not what we think the law should be. The dissent’s views about the jurisdictional question presented in this case are contrary to this Court’s precedents and to the laws enacted by Congress.
NEW: Justice Breyer has sent a letter to President Biden informing him that his retirement will be effective 24 hours from now: at noon on Thursday, June 30. pic.twitter.com/3nLsKkPKCB
Conducted mostly post Dobbs. Quinnipiac found that Walker had 1 point lead in January. Biden’s approval is in the toilet 33-60 so obviously voters are overlooking that in supporting Warner. I think a lot of voters disapproving of Biden disapprove of Republicans even more.
As much as I dislike polls, Quinnipiac has a good track record. Herschel Walker is beyond a bad joke. He almost makes Clarence Thomas look halfway intelligent!
wpDiscuz
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/06/29/progressive-delia-ramirez-defeats-billionaire-pac-money-win-illinois-primary
Bernie also endorsed Jackson so his victory is good, but not thrilled by those crypto donations. I don’t think Bernie endorsed Collins against do nothing incumbent Davis though I’m sure she was his preferred candidate.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/6/28/23187340/jonathan-jackson-1st-district-congressional-race-danny-davis-7th-primary-election
Collins runs again, and makes an issue out of Pelousy, Byedone, and their corruption and connection to dark money, she will have an excellent chance to win.
👏👏👏
Gotta hand it to the R’s one death due to this is bad enough ,But the R’s prefer 2 deaths. They’ll justify it with the “Act of God” B.S.
What would it take for these doctors to show some spine and/or humanity?
Not that bunch of stupid troglodytes. For some reason, troglodyte has been my word of the day. Wonder why?
Nice victory just north of me in the Hudson Valley. It’s a very blue district so she will be going to Albany in 2023.
https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2022/06/28/sarahana-shrestha-defeats-incumbent-kevin-cahill-in-103rd-assembly-democratic-primary/
Man, this fruitloop needs to be booted out of office. I don’t care what the law is!
Looks like I contacted the c-19. So far it has discovered and exacerbated a sinus infection.
Sorry to hear that. Maybe when you were in NYC?
I was stuck in LGA for over 7 hours, then on a plane, then had to wait nearly 7 hours for another connecting flight last Friday. I think the sinus infection was coming, but covid discovered it and made it worse. It’s been like getting the vaccine but without the sore arm.
I am NOT looking forward to flying next month! Got plenty of N95 masks.
I was little lax in wearing them in the airport coming back. Suggest wearing them all of the time. I wore the mask in restrooms and on the plane, but not while sitting the terminals/concourses.
Well wishes for a fast recovery Benny. Hopefully the vax lowered the symptons for you.
+2700!
I wore my n95 from the instant I got to the airport until I got in my cab home on my recent trip. You can’t take your chances on the people going through airports being responsible or respectful. Was very dehydrated after a cross-country flight, but that’s better than the alternative!
Take care of yourself Orl!!!
I will be masked from the time I get to OIA until I get outside in Nashville. Only time I will pull down my mask is if I eat and/or drink. I haven’t caught the Covid crud, and will not do so!
Oh no, Ms. Benny! How are you holding up?
feels like a supercharged sinus infection.
Please keep us in the loop. Get well!!!
https://twitter.com/OsitaNwanevu/status/1542180110085791744?s=20&t=kdP2NoThxgqXxZi2W-7zCQ
A lot of them aren’t moderates; they’re RW Lite.
So the lack of fight in them.
Byedone better back off his stealth attacks on SS.
I bet that’s what sunk her, too. I’m telling you all: there are a LOT of angry, fed up folks in the electorate!
She certainly took advantage of insider trading while in Congress. She is progressive, but she’s still worried about running out of money (like Hillary).
You can’t be progressive and engage in insider trading lmao
Very true.
It probably also didn’t help her that Casten’s teenage daughter died unexpectedly two weeks before the election. Newman took down all her negative ads. I’m sure there was some sympathy vote involved in an electorate that probably was ok with either candidate.
Watch Buttagag do squat!
Some airlines are “delaying” flights rather than cancelling them in order to avoid fines.
T and R x 2 w/thanks, jcb!! ☮️🙂👍I sure do envy you and the Bennys. You all can vote for actual humans, not crooked troglodytes like we’ve got down here.🤬💩
LD, I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you back on here and posting! 🙂
Thanks orl! Happy to see all the familiar faces!
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3541402-supreme-court-narrows-sovereignty-for-oklahoma-tribes/
The pearl-clutching is absurd, agreed. But any notions of Roberts being a decent human being should be laid to rest after this ruling.
Roberts was put on the Court to kiss Big Corp/Biz azz, pure and simple.
I presume the Court has finished most of its business, and Ketaji Brown Jackson will be sworn in on Friday.
Brown will be a good jurist. It’s sad that she’s in the minority, but she will make all AAs proud.
Conducted mostly post Dobbs. Quinnipiac found that Walker had 1 point lead in January. Biden’s approval is in the toilet 33-60 so obviously voters are overlooking that in supporting Warner. I think a lot of voters disapproving of Biden disapprove of Republicans even more.
Lol. I wonder if Walker is going to refuse to debate Warnock (as he refused to debate in his rethug primary).
As much as I dislike polls, Quinnipiac has a good track record. Herschel Walker is beyond a bad joke. He almost makes Clarence Thomas look halfway intelligent!
Wee bit of a stretch on Thomas, Betwenn the Walker in WI, and the FB Walker neither have active brain cells, at least FB Walker has CTE as an excuse
Lol