3rd Congressional Democratic primary result may hinge on early vote totals

Chronicle Media

Marie Newman

Chicago’s early voters may be the ones who determine the Democratic nominee for the 3rd Congressional District

With 98 percent of the votes counted Tuesday night, challenger Marie Newman was topping eight-term incumbent Dan Lipinski.

Newman held just more than a 2-percentage point lead over Lipinski in the Democratic primary for the 3rd District seat.

Newman had 48 percent of the vote to Lipinski’s 45.9 percent with 492 of the district’s 500 precincts counted.

Rush Darwish, another challenger, was a distant third, with 6 percent of the vote.

Early voting ballots in Chicago are not included in election totals.

The winner will likely face Mike Fricilone in the General Election. Fricilone was leading in the Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District with 58.6 percent of the vote over Catherine O’Shea’s 31.3 percent.  Arthur Jones, a Neo-Nazi, got 10.1 percent of the vote.