“Of course, we don’t know if this is going to be the final map,” Lipinski said. But if it is, “I’m not saying yes and I’m not saying no. . . .It’s fair to say there’s a possibility I’ll run.”
The new map proposal formally came from the state House and Senate Redistricting Committees, but was developed with strong input from Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon and Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The map, among other things, strips the proposed new Third District, which Newman represents, of most of its Chicago precincts, pushing it farther into the suburbs. The makes it less Democratic and less liberal, with the district having voted for Joe Biden over Donald Trump for by just a 52% to 46% margin last year, according to an analysis for Capital Fax by demographer and political consultant Frank Calabrese.
The proposed new Third District also would include the home of Republican Adam Kinzinger of Channahon, whose current district would be pretty much dismembered under the pending plan. Some insiders think Kinzinger potentially could win there—especially against a progressive such as Newman.
Newman bitterly reacted to the proposed map.
“While our team continues to review the draft congressional map that was released earlier today, it is abundantly apparent that what has currently been proposed for Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District is not only retrogressive, but substantially diminishes the diverse and progressive voices of Chicago’s Southwest Side and suburbs,” she said in a statement. “I know that IL-03’s constituents will ensure their voices are heard loud and clear at these public hearings over the coming days.”
The map is to be considered by the Illinois Legislature in the two-week fall veto session that begins next week.
Lipinski said he was not involved in drafting the proposed new map and that no one consulted him on it.
