IL-03: Key Takeaways From Marie Newman, Mike Fricilone Forum

OAK LAWN, IL — Democrat Marie Newman faced off against her Republican opponent Mike Fricilone in a virtual candidate’s forum Thursday evening to represent Illinois’s 3rd Congressional District. Both candidates practiced civility and decorum giving voters a measure of the type of leader they’d be if elected, in contrast to the presidential debate debacle earlier this week.

Hosted by the various League of Women Voters chapters from the LaGrange Area, Palos-Orland and Chicago, voters emailed questions for the candidates in advance. Questions were wide-ranging, focusing on social justice, systemic racism and climate change, as well as the “bread and butter issues” that outgoing congressman Dan Lipinski — who lost the Democratic primary to Newman — often described.

Watch a repeat of the forum on the League of Women Voters-LaGrange Area Facebook page. Here are some takeaways:

On Congressional Gridlock

Mike Fricilone said the country lost one of its most commonsense, bipartisan voices in congress when incumbent Congressman Dan Lipinski lost the Democratic primary and was replaced by a “socialist” candidate. If elected, he’ll join the Problem Solvers caucus like Lipinski.

Marie Newman said we don’t need “branded caucuses” but favors having conversations with colleagues in the hallway and listening to people. She also said the Problem Solvers Caucus, composed of 50 democratic and republican members of congress, never passed a bill.

On Health Care

Newman supports Medicare for All. She suggests bolstering the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) so people can get the coverage they need and methodically roll out Medicare for All over time.

Fricilone is for keeping the parts of Obamacare that work and retooling the rest, such as coverage for preexisting conditions, lowering drug costs, crossing state lines to get better insurance rates and allowing unions to keep the insurance plans they bargained for because “what unions have is better than Medicare for All."

On Women’s Reproductive Rights

Fricilone is a practicing Catholic. He believes every man and woman has a choice to make and create a life; a fetus deserves the same chance "the rest us have." He’s 100 percent against contraception. As far as covering contraceptives by insurance “I’m not in favor of that.”

Newman says she trusts women to have domain over their own bodies. “Clearly contraception and reproductive care is health care and health care is reproductive care.” Favors covering contraception by insurance.

On COVID-19

Newman blamed the federal government for not deploying a national strategy resulting in the death of 205,000 souls. She supports masking and the federal government deploying the Defense Production Act and testing for all Americas, She hopes to see a vaccine as soon as possible and making sure everyone wears a mask.

Fricilone said last year “when we had normal flu” that 65,000 to 85,000 died of influenza. More than 40 percent of COVID-19 deaths were nursing home patients “propagated by the fact that governors in those states decided that’s where they would put people when they were sick." Fricilone said that’s where most of the PPE went during the early stages of the pandemic. Thinks President Trump did the right thing stopping people from coming in from Chicago and “getting called every name in the book.” Thinks the Trump Administration’s plan is working.

On Unions And Ending Workplace Discrimination

Newman says she’s been endorsed by just about every union in the Chicago area. She comes from a union family, Illinois’ 3rd District is the mecca for union membership, with 43 percent of households that belong to unions. Also favors bringing union education back to schools, vocational training in high schools, and bringing apprenticeships and trade classes to community colleges.

Fricilone supports unions as well, and is most concerned about unions losing their healthcare.

On Climate Change

Fricilone said the only member country of the Paris Agreement that managed to lower carbon emissions was the United States. While it’s good to work with international organizations, but if the group isn’t going to follow its own rules, why be in it. The climate is always changing the “Green New Deal” doesn’t make sense. He supports alternative energy like nuclear energy. Does support the United State rejoining the Paris Agreement.

Newman believes the United States should go back to the Paris Agreement. Believes in investing in transportation and infrastructure systems which will generate good paying union jobs. Reminded Fricilone that the ‘Green New Deal’ was a resolution and commitment to address the climate change crisis -- not actual legislation.

On Gun Control

Fricilone supports national legislation that will increase penalties for illegal guns.

Newman believes in the 2nd Amendment and allowing responsible people to own guns. Favors universal background check, reinstating the assault weapon ban and “red flag” laws.

Watch the League of Women Voters’ candidates forum