For 16 years, I had the privilege of representing the people of Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District until I was narrowly defeated in the 2020 Democratic primary. I lost that race because I dared to not always follow in lockstep with my party in an era in which extreme partisanship and polarization rule. In a number of primary elections last week, both parties continued to reject candidates willing to ever deviate from the party line, including Illinois’ 15th District in which Rep. Rodney Davis lost the Republican primary. This trend is causing more extremity, more intransigence and more gridlock in Washington. Both parties are failing our country and hurting the American people.
Last year, some Republican Party officials asked me to run for Congress as a Republican, but I declined. A few months later, some of my supporters from previous campaigns asked me to run in the Democratic primary in the 6th Congressional District because their analysis indicated I could win in a three-way race against the two incumbents vying for the nomination. When I responded that I was fed up with both parties and would only consider a run as an independent, they told me they would start a “Draft Dan Lipinski” campaign to get my name on the November ballot.
It is difficult for an unfunded grassroots effort to gather the 5,000 signatures needed to qualify as an independent for Congress — more than 12 times the 400 needed by a Democrat or Republican — but I understand that goal is within reach.
