OP_091417

opprairie.com News
the orland park prairie | September 14, 2017 | 9
Lipinski to face two challengers in 2018 race for Congressional District 3
Meredith Dobes, Freelance Reporter
In 2018, Congressman
Dan
Lipinski (D-3) will
face two challengers
for his seat in
the U.S. House of
Representatives.
He has served the
district — which
includes all or parts
of Homer Glen,
Lockport, Orland
Park, Tinley Park
and New Lenox —
since 2005 and said
he would like to
continue his work
for four more years.
“I want to keep
doing the work that
I’ve been doing,”
he said. “I think it’s
even more important
today than ever
to have members of
Congress in there
who are problemsolvers.”
Hopefuls Marie
Newman (D) and
Mat Tomkowiak (I)
Congressman
Dan Lipinski
Challenger
Marie Newman
Challenger Mat
Tomkowiak
contend that the district is ready for
a change.
Newman is a La Grange resident
who worked in advertising and was
a partner at J. Walter Thompson
Worldwide, prior to starting her
own marketing consulting business.
In 2011, Newman partnered with
Sears Holdings Corporation to build
national nonprofit program Team
Up to Stop Bullying after starting a
local version of the program in response
to her son experiencing bullying
in school, she said. Through
her work with the nonprofit, she
contributed to legislation.
Newman also has contributed to
advocacy efforts for gun safety and
for Lurie Children’s Hospital. She
has not held political office previously.
Tomkowiak is a Chicago resident
of the Mount Greenwood neighborhood
who was born in Poland and
moved to the U.S. at the age of 9.
He has worked in research and advising
for health policy and political
science, and was involved in the
writing of the Affordable Care Act.
Tomkowiak said he planned on
becoming a professor but decided to
get involved with politics after being
disappointed by how researchers’
work was used in legislation.
He also has not previously held political
office.
Where they stand on the issues
Lipinski said he is seeking another
term to continue to solve
problems in Congress and work to
end gridlock.
“I take criticism for wanting to
work in a bipartisan manner, but
I’m proud of that,” he said.
Lipinski has worked on the
Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan
group of House members who
work on issues like making the
ACA more affordable by bringing
down premiums.
He said his primary focuses during
his time representing District 3
have been increasing middle class
jobs, promoting the manufacturing
industry, improving transportation,
promoting science innovation
through research at universities
and national labs, lowering the cost
of education, and ensuring veterans
and senior citizens receive care.
Newman said she decided to run
for Congress in 2018 in response to
the results of the 2016 Presidential
Election and because she disagrees
with Lipinski on health care, women’s
issues, and items regarding
immigrant and working families.
Once she decided to run, Newman
visited with residents throughout
the district to discover which issues
were most important to them,
and she said their values aligned
with hers.
“People want health care for
all,” she said. “They want working
families to have the fair deal they
deserve, a livable wage, paid leave,
affordable childcare. People want
small businesses to thrive.”
In addition to working on those
issues, Newman said she would
work to expand the middle class;
lower education costs; and expand
science, technology, engineering
and math education in junior high
and high schools.
Tomkowiak said his decision to
run for Congress was inspired by
disappointment in levels of polarization
in government, money in
politics and how little gets accomplished.
His primary focuses are on
health care, wealth inequality and
political polarization, he said.
Tomkowiak is an advocate of a
single-payer health care system, and
he said the district seems receptive
to that type of system, as well.
“The Democrats are milquetoast
centrists or old-school machine
politicians who don’t understand
the politics of health care or aren’t
invested deeply enough,” he said.
“I feel the need to step up and fight
for Congress in this particular moment
in history.”
Tomkowiak added that wealth inequality
in the U.S. needs to come
to an end, and a multiparty democracy
— putting to rest the two-party
system — would help solve political
polarization and get voters more
interested in making changes.
Why they think they should win
Lipinski said his track record, approachability
to residents of the district
and willingness to work across
the aisle to get things done make
him stand out from his challengers.
“I think the extreme partisanship
and the unwillingness to listen to
one another and work with people
who have different ideas — I think
that all has been detrimental to our
country, and we certainly see that
with President [Donald] Trump,”
Lipinski said. “I think he has divided
our nation even more. ... I think
he’s left people more frustrated with
our political system, and I’m not
someone who wants to just talk; I
want to solve problems.”
Newman’s understanding of issues
important to the district, and
interest in creating fairness and opportunity
for all set her apart, she
said.
“Folks deserve to have health
care, be healthy, have a livable
wage, deserve to have small business
thrive, and women deserve to
be treated properly,” she said. “I
certainly hope people understand
that I will work to provide health
care for all, a square deal to working
families and expand the middle
class, as well as give opportunities
to and enable small business.”
Tomkowiak highlighted his progressive
stances, as well as the fact
that he is not as wealthy or as old as
most members of Congress.
“Ninety-five percent are in the top
1 percent of wealth distribution,” he
said. “Most are getting older. Baby
Boomers dominate Congress. Fifty
percent are business owners, and
only about 10 percent of the American
population are business owners.
Workers, teachers and nurses
through labor and consumption
make business possible. I do think
we have a government that needs to
get younger, poorer and in that way,
become more reflective of America.”
For more information about the
candidates, visit lipinski.house.gov,
marienewmanforcongress.com and
mat2018.com.
Flu shots available at Orland Township, local churches
Submitted by Orland Township
Orland Township is offering
Quadrivalent (protects against four
different flu viruses) flu shots at the
township office, 14807 S. Ravinia
Avenue, on the following dates.
It is to be offered there 3-6 p.m.
Mondays, Sept. 18 and 25, as well
as Oct. 2, 16, 23 and 30; and 4-7
p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 and 27,
as well as Oct. 4, 11, 18 and 25.
The Township also is to hold a
drive-thru clinic from 9 a.m.-12:30
p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14.
Flu shots will be available at a
discounted price of $20 for all Orland
Township government workers
from 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24.
An employee ID is required.
Township residents can also get
their flu shots at four additional locations.
From 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-7
p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, the shots
will be offered at the Orland Park
Public Library, 14921 S. Ravinia
Ave. From 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday,
Oct. 15, the shots are slated to be
offered at St. Michael Church,
14327 Highland Ave. in Orland
Park. From 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday,
Oct. 22, the shots are scheduled to
be offered at St. Stephen Deacon &
Martyr, 17500 84th Ave. in Tinley
Park. And from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday,
Nov. 5, the shots are to be offered
at St. Francis of Assisi, 15050
Wolf Road in Orland Park.
Vaccines for residents 19 and
older are available for $25. Children
18 years of age and younger
may receive a vaccination free of
charge. Eligibility requirements
apply.
Residents 65 and older with
Medicare Part B are eligible to
receive an immunization free of
charge. A Medicare Part B card
must be presented at the time of
vaccination. Those with an Advantage
Medicare plan are not eligible
for a free vaccination and should
visit their primary care physician.
Proof of residency is required. Orland
Township boundaries include
Orland Hills, Orland Park (east of
Will Cook Road and south of 135th
Street), Tinley Park (west of Harlem
and north of 183rd Street), and unincorporated
Orland Park.
Anyone six months of age and
older should get a flu shot, but it is
even more important for some people
to get vaccinated. These people
include those who are at high risk
of developing complications like
pneumonia if they catch the flu.
These high-risk individuals include
the following.
• Those with medical condition
like asthma, diabetes and chronic
lung disease of those who live with
or care for individuals with these
medical conditions
• Pregnant women
• People 65 years and older
For additional information, call
(708) 403-4222 or visit www.or
landtownship.org.