The battle for Illinois' 3rd Congressional District just went negative.
Marie Newman, who's challenging Rep. Dan Lipinski in the upcoming Democratic primary election, said Monday that she's taking to television airwaves - providing NBC 5 with an exclusive first look at her new attack ad.
The marketing consultant and anti-bullying advocate has painted herself as a progressive alternative to Lipinski, who's been described as one of the most conservative Congressional Democrats. [[462643323, C]]
The seven-term lawmaker has positioned himself against abortion rights, voted against the Affordable Care Act, and has taken other, more conservative stances on issues like immigration - all topics that Newman's ad highlights.
Titled "Learn," the ad proclaims that Democrats are "done with Dan" and calls Newman "the true Democrat in this race."
"Lipinski co-sponsored 52 bills to restrict a woman's right to choose and repeatedly votes to defund Planned Parenthood," the ad says. "Lipinski voted against the DREAM Act, still opposes marriage equality and was the only Democrat in Illinois to vote against Obamacare." [[469577203, C]]
The race has garnered national attention and Newman earned rare endorsements from sitting Democrats Reps. Luis Gutierrez and Jan Schawkowsky.
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In December, Newman said her campaign caused Lipinski to alter his position on various issues surrounding immigration and health care - a claim that Lipinski refuted, saying he was working on bipartisan proposals to help immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, as well as to keep the Affordable Care Act in place.
Upon seeing Newman's ad, Lipinski said in a statement, "I'm proud of my record of success solving problems for my constituents and helping provide better jobs, wages, healthcare, and education for the middle class."
