Members of Congress square off against colleagues in Illinois primaries

[June 06, 2022]  By Greg Bishop | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois primary voters are finding themselves in new congressional districts with early voting underway for the June 28 primary. Some districts have incumbents from the same party trying to keep their position.

Republican voters in Illinois’ new 15th Congressional District have to choose between two members of Congress seeking another term.

Because of Illinois’ population decline, the state lost a seat in the next U.S. Congress. Statehouse Democrats approved maps that drew U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, and Mary Miller, R-Compton, into a sweeping new district that includes Quincy to the west, Aledo to the north, Jerseyville to the south and Paris to the east. It excludes East St. Louis, parts of Springfield and Urbana.

Miller touts an endorsement from former President Donald Trump and says Davis is a "Republican In Name Only," or RINO.

Standing among various members of law enforcement announcing endorsements in Springfield, Davis said he’s proud to have worked with Trump on tax cuts and other issues.

“Those are things I’m not going to run away from,” Davis said. “I’m proud of our record. I’m proud of working with multiple administrations.”

Democrats in the new 15th district have only Paul Lange on the June 28 ballot with early voting underway.

In another district, statehouse Democrats drew U.S. Reps. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Marie Newman, D-La Grange, in the new 6th congressional district.

Asked separately by WGN about going up against a one-time ally, Casten said primaries can be messy but he was confident he’ll be the victor.

“We’ll go through,” Casten said. “I’ll be sorry to lose her voice in Congress, but that’s the nature of our elections.”

Newman said one issue she’s stronger on is abortion, sharing she had one when she was 19.
 

“We need more women in Congress and more women in leadership positions, and somebody who has been fighting for 30 years like me,” Newman said.

Charles Hughs will also appear on the Democratic ballot.

There are six Republicans vying for the party’s nomination in the 6th district for the June 28 primary with early voting underway. Those are Robert Cruz, Catherine O’Shea, Niki Conforti, Gary Grasso, Scott Kaspar and Keith Pekau.

Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of award-winning broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning Newsfeed out of Springfield.