The Note: Democrats' 'big tent' gets big test in Illinois

By
Rick Klein
 and
MaryAlice Parks
March 20, 2018, 6:00 AM ET
8 min read

The TAKE with Rick Klein

In this year of political turmoil — one that figures to be defined by the opposition to President Donald Trump — the first congressional incumbent to go down could well be a Democrat.

Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., is in real danger of losing the nomination for his own seat in Tuesday’s Illinois primary.

Lipinski is a self-described “big tent party” Democrat who opposes abortion rights and didn’t support Obamacare or even President Barack Obama’s reelection. Marie Newman’s primary challenge has united outside groups like NARAL with some Obama campaign veterans and Sen. Bernie Sanders’ political operation — while isolating the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

If Newman wins, cue the analyses of Democratic disarray and — to again quote Lipinski — whether there’s a “tea party of the left” set to rock politics — right?

Any incumbent losing a primary is a big deal. But this seat is almost certainly safely in Democratic hands.

And while Pelosi would take heat from outside for backing a losing candidate against a progressive challenger, the inside game is different. Pelosi’s loyalty to her own members remains a key reason that she remains in control of her caucus.

The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks

Once again President Trump went retro, and arguably racial, in his remarks yesterday.

He took heat almost instantly for proposing decades-old and hyper-political solutions to the modern-day opioid epidemic.

While speaking on the health care emergency ripping through the country, the president suggested 1980s-style “don’t do drugs, kids” commercials and stricter punishments for drug dealers. He pivoted hard from victims, addiction and community programs to dealers, pushers and perpetrators instead, and he brought his divisive talking points about illegal immigration, the wall and gangs to an otherwise nonpartisan issue.

Half of opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription and 90 percent of illicit drugs come through legal points of entry.

“We cannot arrest our way out of the opioid epidemic — we tried that and ended up with an even bigger addiction problem and the world’s largest prison population,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., wrote after the president’s speech.

Nationwide, the extent and devastation of the opioid epidemic is staggering and almost incomprehensible. It’s a crisis in desperate need of creative and bold policy solutions. A total of 42,249 people died from overdosing on opioids in the U.S. in 2016, according to the Department of Health and Human Services; 17,087 people died from overdosing on commonly-prescribed opioids.

The TIP with Emily Goodin

After a major disappointment for the Pennsylvania GOP in the courts Monday — following the blow of Democrat Conor Lamb’s apparent victory in last week’s special election — Republicans hope to avoid a trifecta of troubling news by keeping one of their own on the ballot.

Back-to-back court rulings against the GOP mean the state’s new congressional map will be the one in play for November.

Now all eyes turn to Republican Rep. Ryan Costello and his plans for the general election.

Under the new map, Costello finds himself in a district transformed from one that Hillary Clinton won by one point in 2016 to one she would have won by nine points.

Multiple national and state Republicans have told ABC News Costello is considering retirement.

Costello, however, “expects to file the requisite number of petition signatures by deadline,” campaign spokesman Andrea Bozek told ABC News. The filing deadline is today.

The freshman is the GOP’s best hope for keeping that district in a year where Democrats could net three to five seats in the Keystone State under that new map. Plus, Democrats are high on their candidate against Costello — Chrissy Houlahan — an Air Force veteran endorsed by former Vice President Joe Biden last week.

And notice Costello is only filing his petitions; he’s not announcing another run for office.

If he ends up not pursuing a bid, the state GOP has a procedure for replacing him on the ballot even if the filing deadline has passed.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

  • President Trump welcomes Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman in the afternoon.
  • President Trump hosts a law enforcement round-table on sanctuary cities at 2:15 p.m.
  • President Trump headlines the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual March Dinner.
  • Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST for the primary election in Illinois.
  • Acting Deputy Director of the FBI David Bowdich is at the House Judiciary Committee to address how the FBI mishandled tips it received before the Parkland school shooting at 10 a.m.
  • First lady Melania Trump hosts a roundtable discussion on cyber safety and technology featuring executives from Facebook, Google and other tech companies at 3 p.m.
  • The House Energy and Commerce Committee reviews the role of the Drug Enforcement Administration in combating the opioid crisis.

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    5 things to watch for in the Illinois primary. In one of ABC News’ “18 for '18” races, the fight for the identity of the Democratic Party between its progressive and establishment wings has spilled into Illinois 3rd Congressional District where Blue Dog Democrat Dan Lipinski is facing a challenge from activist Marie Newman, who has the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, EMILY's List and a handful of labor groups. (John Verhovek, Molly Nagle and Emily Goodin) http://abcn.ws/2GKYXPD

    Sitting Democrat fights to keep his seat in contentious primary battle. In the 2018 primaries, Democrats are looking to define the direction of their party, as the progressive grassroots movement gains strength. That fight is playing out in Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District in a race between conservative incumbent Rep. Dan Lipinski and his progressive challenger, Marie Newman. The race has drawn national attention because it offers a window into the future of the Democratic Party, and staying power of the progressive movement. (Molly Nagle) http://abcn.ws/2DEEmJB

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    The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the key political moments of the day ahead.