Casten, Ives Spar Over COVID-19, Values Of 6th District Voters

CHICAGO SUBURBS, IL — In 2018, Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, flipped the Sixth Congressional District from blue to red. Now, he’s hoping to keep it that way.

The political newcomer says the 6th District, which is made of five counties in the far western suburbs, is made up of people who are “amazingly pro-science” and sits between Argonne National Lab and Fermilab, according to a Sunday interview with ABC 7.

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Casten, a scientist, is a strong backer of environmental initiatives to combat global climate change. And he says following the lead of other countries that have beat the coronavirus pandemic by passing legislation that would make widespread contact tracing and testing a reality and provide resources for those who need to quarantine is a priority for him.

“We have passed bills on the house floor to do that but we have not had a cooperative executive branch to put that in order,” Casten said during the recent interview on ABC 7 Chicago.

Jeanne Ives, a Republican who took on Gov. Bruce Rauner in the 2018 primary election, says getting the economy going and kids back in school while protecting the most vulnerable from the virus is key. The medical community has come a long way, she says, and now getting a vaccine in place is needed.

And Ives, an army veteran, says it’s time to get the 6th District back in the red. The District voter Republican for more than 50 years before Casten unseated Peter Roskam in 2018.

"In this district we like our private sector healthcare. We like the tax cut and jobs act, which saved the average family $2,000 in this district, and overall, saved this district $166 million. And we don’t want to go back to higher taxes and more government control,” said Ives in Sunday’s interview with ABC 7.

Independent candidate Bill Redpath is also running for the seat in the Nov. 3 election.

The 6th Congressional District includes portions of McHenry, Cook, DuPage, Kane and Lake counties and includes Palatine, Algonquin, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, Elgin, Downers Grove, Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Glen Ellyn, Fox River Grove, Oak Brook, Wheaton and St. Charles.

More On Patch

• 6th District Primary: Casten Unopposed; Republican Race Heats Up
• Rep. Casten Rap Video Draws Criticism From Ives' Campaign
• Jeanne Ives Sets Sights On Casten's Seat In 2020

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