Progressive Illinois Lieutenant Governor Wins Senate Primary as Moderates Hold On in House Races With Backing From Outside Spending Groups

Illinois Democrats are headed into November with a diverse array of candidates. The state’s progressive lieutenant governor on Tuesday was chosen as the party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate at the same time that a number of more moderate candidates backed by millions of dollars in outside spending are set to win House seats in and around the city of Chicago. The Illinois primary marked the first major ideological test for the Democratic Party headed into the midterms. In Texas earlier this month, Democrats’ Senate primary was less about ideology and more about personality, as the Lone Star State’s congressional Democratic primaries largely focused on generational change. The Illinois primaries, however, were dominated much more by policy disputes, personal dispositions, and support from corporate outside spending groups. Lieutenant governor Juliana Stratton is almost guaranteed to be the next United States Senator from Illinois after defeating Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi in the primary. Congresswoman Robin Kelly finished in a distant third. Ms. Stratton went after Mr. Krishnamoorthi relentlessly for his support from corporate donors and his past votes in the House to fund ICE. Ms. Stratton made a point of distinguishing herself as the only Democratic candidate wholly in favor of abolishing the agency. In the last six months of the campaign, as ICE and other DHS agents were surged to Chicago, Mr. Krishnamoorthi’s past support for the department became a key issue for Ms. Stratton. “I’m making it clear I want to abolish ICE. Period,” Ms. Stratton said at a primary debate last month. “I would not give my vote to fund ICE. I want to see ICE and CBP out of our American cities … I don’t want them to have any immunity, and any of those federal agents should be prosecuted — investigated and prosecuted for breaking any laws.”“I do just want to say to Congressman Krishnamoorthi, you know, you talk about wanting to see ‘abolish Trump’s ICE,’ but we also know that you have voted to thank ICE, you voted to fund ICE, and you have taken money from ICE contractors,” she added. In House races, however, the status quo was mostly victorious. Candidates backed by incumbents, supported by corporate outside spending, and those with deep local ties emerged victorious over insurgent, left-wing challengers, many of whom were fiercely anti-Israel. Arguably the most-watched race of the night was in the Ninth District, which has been represented by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky for decades. Ms. Schakowsky, who is Jewish, has long supported Israel as a legislator, but has spoken out in recent years about AIPAC’s role in American politics. Her successor is sure to be Evanston, Illinois mayor Daniel Biss, a former state senator who in 2018 challenged Governor JB Pritzker in the Democratic primary from the left. Mr. Biss — whom Ms. Schakowsky endorsed — met with AIPAC representatives from his district, but says he does not support the group’s political activity — a stance similar to Ms. Schakowsky’s. “I do not share AIPAC’s hardline views,” Mr. Biss said in a statement back in January. He defeated social media influencer Kat Abughazaleh in the primary. Ms. Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old former journalist, made cutting aid to Israel a pillar of her campaign and aligned herself with “the squad,” which includes Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib. Ms. Abughazaleh came in second place by single-digits, running ahead of state senator Laura Fine who received support from AIPAC-aligned groups. The other three major contested Democratic congressional primaries in and around Chicago — the Second, Seventh, and Eighth Districts — saw more center-left candidates defeat progressive challengers thanks, in part, to millions of dollars in corporate spending. Ms. Kelly’s district — the Second — is now almost guaranteed to be represented by Cook County commissioner Donna Miller, who received more than $4.3 million in support from pro-Israel groups. She defeated a former lawmaker, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., who was backed by groups that opposed regulation of artificial intelligence. The most progressive candidate in the race, state senator Robert Peters, finished in third place. In the Seventh District, retiring Congressman Danny Davis backed state representative La Shawn Ford, who was declared the winner on Tuesday night. Mr. Ford defeated a pro-Israel candidate, city treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin by around 3.5 percent. Despite millions of dollars being spent by the cryptocurrency industry through its outside group Fairshake and by AIPAC-aligned groups, Mr. Ford’s support from Mr. Davis — who has represented Chicago in the House for nearly 30 years — seems to have been the necessary boost to get him through the primary. In the Eighth District, another former lawmaker, Congresswoman Melissa Bean, who is running to succeed Mr. Krishnamoorthi, is poised to reclaim a seat in Congress after AIPAC-aligned groups and AI industry super PACs backed her.

Progressive Illinois Lieutenant Governor Wins Senate Primary as Moderates Hold On in House Races With Backing From Outside Spending Groups

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