Conscious Choice: Too Progressive to Win?

March 2006 | Editor’s Note

Too Progressive to Win?

New rule: No complaints will be heard, unless you also suggest at least one viable solution about the object of your displeasure. This goes double for politics. You are not allowed to spout off about them unless you actually voted in the last election. And yes, primaries count. So get out there and vote in the primary election March 21.

And lest you think that your vote doesn’t count, consider that one of the most interesting progressive races is taking place in what was once considered rock-solid conservative Republican territory — DuPage County. I’m talking, of course, about the 6th Congressional District seat, soon to be vacated by longtime U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde. Hyde, now is his 80s, is the archconservative Republican, perhaps best known for his virulent opposition to abortion and for leading the charge against former President Bill Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. That was until Hyde’s own self-admitted “youthful indiscretions” came to light, deflating much of Hyde’s moral-indignation balloon.

Still, Hyde was believed to have an iron grip on the seat, and looked for three decades to be unbeatable. But all that changed in 2004, when local businesswoman Christine Cegelis, a relatively unknown, under-funded Democratic candidate, came out of political nowhere to wage a grassroots battle against Hyde. Surprisingly, she garnered about 44 percent of the vote, coming far closer to toppling the Republican icon than many assumed was possible in the formerly conservative suburban enclave.

Buoyed by the strong showing, Cegelis’ supporters kept up their meetings, enthusiasm and campaigning efforts, pushing for a win in 2006. Cegelis was considered by many to be the heir apparent on the 6th District Democratic ticket, and many of her supporters felt she had paid her dues, so to speak, for the seat.

But suddenly, the 6th Congressional District looked like it could go Democratic, and that caught the attention of the Democratic Party regulars.

A debate began waging in some political circles: Was Cegelis too liberal, too progressive, for the formerly conservative district? Was she too much of a loose cannon who marched to her own drummer? Was she well-intentioned but politically naive? Most importantly, could she pull off a general election win?

Speculation abounded that was at least part of the thinking when Democratic party regulars, including U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, of the 5th District, who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, threw their weight behind another Democrat, Tammy Duckworth, a wounded Iraq veteran who lives in nearby Hoffman Estates. Duckworth, who lives in a house specially outfitted by friends to meet her disability needs due to losing both legs in the war, has expressed no desire to move from her home just outside the district. The law requires that U.S. House members reside in the state, not necessarily the district they represent. Still, Duckworth drew her share of criticism because of her out-of-district status, relatively late entry into the race (compared to Cegelis), and backing by party regulars.

Some of the die-hard Cegelis backers see the Democratic party regulars as interlopers into this grassroots political movement. Other progressives contend that Duckworth is a serious candidate not being given her due and, as a war veteran who lost both legs in the war, she could carry a lot of weight and influence in Washington.

The only thing the progressives seem to agree on is that either is preferable to the Republican candidate. For some progressives, the question seems to be less about which candidate is more ideologically progressive, but which is a better bet to win against the Republican up for the seat, Peter Roskam.

Roskam, a Wheaton attorney, is a Republican leader in the Illinois Senate and formerly served in the state House. He is described by many to be an archconservative in Hyde’s mold, and is running unopposed on the GOP ticket.

Roskam is targeted by many progressive websites arguing that his days as an aide and supporter of both Hyde and Tom DeLay, the now embattled Texas Republican congressman, would make Roskam a dangerous DeLay-style ally in Congress for the Bush administration Republicans.

And finally, a third Democrat also has thrown his hat into the ring: Lindy Scott. Scott, a Spanish and Latin professor at Wheaton College, who served as director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics, is considered by many to be the most conservative Democratic candidate because of his evangelical views. However, some of his supporters say that to describe him simply an evangelical is too simplistic. Scott spent 16 years in Mexico City and has received the endorsement of many Hispanic businesses and groups, who point out that he is sympathetic to the plight of working families. Interestingly, that’s not exactly the demographic you would expect to find in abundance in DuPage County.

Many political analysts think the Democratic primary will mainly be a contest between Duckworth and Cegelis. But the 6th District voters have shown themselves to be independent and free-thinking, so the outcome of the Democratic primary, and then the final election, is anyone’s guess.

To give you some insight into this race, we sent a reporter to a forum attended by the three Democratic candidates. Then, we took a look at Debra Shore, who has some unconventional but common sense ideas about water conservation in the race for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

We chose these two races to highlight because they demonstrate grassroots democracy at its best: responsible individuals who buck the odds and decide to run for public office based on an ideal. Both races feature individuals who refused to be overwhelmed by a lack of funding, party backing or defeating thoughts of “I’m not going to win anyway, so why bother?”

Cegelis’ conviction cracked open the door guarded by the conservative old guard, which now has to contend with new ideas. Even if she loses, she has already made a difference. Her determination has inspired others to think it possible to win an office based on their ideals. The positive voter response to Cegelis’ original campaign is a testament that voters are hungry for a government run by sincere individuals looking to make a difference in the world by solving everyday issues at home.

Cegelis was inspired to run for office when she saw the difficulties her children faced as they tried to enter the workforce as productive adults. Shore wanted to put a gravel driveway next to her home to save water. Now it’s time for us to do our part. We all need to vote, regardless of whether our candidate wins or loses.

— Marla Donato

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