By Bob Seidenberg
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss appears to be the unofficial winner of the hard fought Democratic primary for the 9th District Congressional seat.
Unofficial totals with 93% of the sprawling district’s vote in, showed Biss receiving 35,642 votes or 29.4% total to 31,705 or 26.1% for newcomer Kat Abughazaleh and 24,616 votes or 20.3% for State Sen. Laura Fine.
The three were part of a crowded 15 candidate field seeking to succeed longtime Democratic stalwart Jan Schakowksy as the next congressperson of the district.
With the district trending nearly 70% Democratic in the past, Biss, a two-term state legislator before running for mayor, would appear a strong favorite in the Nov. 3 general election where he’ll face the Republican primary winner, John Elleson.
Biss, with the backing of Schakowksy, and Fine, winner of top legislator awards, had been perceived as favorites going into the election, with Abughazaleh’s campaign pointing at the Democratic establishment, gathering speed at the end.
During the campaign, Biss had concentrated most of his attacks at Fine and made her support from AIPAC and its Superpac as a centerpiece of his candidacy.
Abughazaleh, meanwhile, had taken a different tact in what she described as “new type of Democratic campaign.”
”If you’re a right wing billionaire or member of the Democratic consultant class, this campaign isn’t for you,” she declared.
The 26-year-old Palestinian-American’s campaign gained late endorsements from U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian member of Congress as well as U.S. Rep. Ilan Omar, from Minnesota, both strong critics of U.S. policy regarding Israel.
Abughazaleh performed strongest in the city, receiving 16,810 or 34.55% of the total 48,659 votes cast compared to 11,444 votes or 23.52% for Biss, who had the backing of the retiring office holder Jan Schakowsly as well as a number of members of the Democratic establishment.
The 26-year-old Abughazaleh, who moved into the district for the race, pointed to her background as a researcher and a former journalist with Media Matters for America, Mother Jones and Zeteo News. In that role, she wrote on her website, “ I’ve fought fascists before and won. Now I’m ready to do it in Congress.”