IL-14: Chicago Sun-Times Endorses Lauren Underwood

Lauren Underwood

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

ENDORSEMENT: Lauren Underwood for Congress in 14th District

Underwood has earned, on her own merits, a return trip to Washington.

Before Lauren Underwood of Naperville was elected to Congress in 2018, she was a nurse. In the two years since then, she has put that expertise to good use as a lawmaker, drafting bills — and getting a couple signed into law — to make health care less expensive and better.

Specifically, Underwood sponsored the Lower Insulin Costs Now Act, signed by the president last December, which made lower-cost, generic insulin available more quickly. She also was the lead sponsor of a bill to fund the increased use of electronic health records across the Department of Homeland Security, making it easier for DHS doctors to care for migrants in custody.

Our endorsement goes to Underwood, a Democrat. For a freshman legislator, she has been measurably effective, demonstrating a practical streak. Those two pieces of legislation had to get through a Republican-controlled Senate.

Electoral victories in 2018 by Underwood and another Illinois Democrat, Sean Casten, in swing congressional districts were key to the Democrats gaining control of the House. For that reason alone we might now favor Underwood’s re-election; the House has been an essential check on President Donald Trump and the Senate. But Underwood has earned, on her own merits, a return trip to Washington.

Underwood has been a knowledgeable defender of the Affordable Care Act, which could come under even greater Republican attack in the coming year if the Supreme Court shifts further to the right. And we support her more immediate efforts to pass legislation to require health insurance plans to cover common medications, devices and screenings used to treat common chronic illnesses without charging a copayment, coinsurance or deductible.

Underwood is opposed by state Sen. Jim Oberweis, chairman of Oberweis Dairy, whom we twice have endorsed in state races. Oberweis, of Sugar Grove, has been a creative Republican in the Democrat-controlled state Senate, working on non-ideological issues such as ending a ban on Sunday auto sales.

At heart, though, we’d say Oberweis is an apologist for Trump — and Capitol Hill has no shortage of Republican apologists for Trump.

We strongly urge a vote for Lauren Underwood.


COMMENTARY: When comparing Underwood’s endorsement by the Daily Herald opposed to what was printed in the Chicago Sun-Times, one sees the difference with the Herald who did some level of vetting opposed to the Sun-Times which did none in spite of both newspapers endorsing Underwood.

These paragraphs jump out, with emphasis added:

Specifically, Underwood sponsored the Lower Insulin Costs Now Act, signed by the president last December, which made lower-cost, generic insulin available more quickly. She also was the lead sponsor of a bill to fund the increased use of electronic health records across the Department of Homeland Security, making it easier for DHS doctors to care for migrants in custody…Those two pieces of legislation had to get through a Republican-controlled Senate.

As was pointed out with the Herald endorsement Underwood’s legislation cited in the Sun-Times were passed as part of the Appropriations bills to fund the Federal government that was nearly two months behind schedule, and had to pass to avert a government shutdown.

The Sun-Times bought Underwood’s claim her two bills passed the Senate on their own, and were signed into law on their own. As said on September 12, McHenry County Blog was thankful for the Herald being thorough.

Jim Oberweis

Ultimately, the decision was driven by the candidate’s questionnaires more than the actual interview. Oberweis’ interview with the Sun-Times was much better than the Daily Herald/Shaw Media interview, but like arguing a case before the Supreme Court, the oral argument does not convince the Justices, the written case does.

As has been said elsewhere, newspaper endorsements do not carry the weight they once did. The Sun-Times performance with this endorsement is clear proof why.


Comments

IL-14: Chicago Sun-Times Endorses Lauren Underwood — 8 Comments

  1. Only proves what we already know about the corrupt FAKE NEWS media,
    both locally and nationally.

  2. Before trusting ANY endorsement from a newspaper or magazine, have to consider their reporting over the years. Is it honest, factual or is it regularly biased and/or fake news.

    History shows, in 2008, that you absolutely cannot trust endorsements. Per WIKI, newspapers endorsed Barak Hussein Obama over John McCain by a 3 to 1 margin. There is ample evidence that Obama was the worst ever president of the U.S. and ran the most corrupt and incompetent administration, actually a regime, in U.S. history.

  3. When Barack Obama ran the first time in 2008, there was no way of knowing he’d be the worst president. 🤔

  4. Looks like I was a little too harsh on the Sun-Times concerning Lauren Underwood and her bills that became law.

    Underwood has claimed three, but the Sun-Times only gave credit for two.

    It was said in the editorial board interview Underwood was not the lead sponsor of the legislation which was included in the CARES Act back in March, Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (D, CA-36) was, though she was a cosponsor.

    Doesn’t change how they handled the 2 bills (H.R. 5444 Insulin in full, H.R. 3525 EHR system funding component only) that were passed as part of Appropriations.

  5. Ives is right, skip the “Fake Newspaper” endorsements.

    They have them written months ago after the primary.

  6. This endorsement is reason enough to vote for Oberweis and any republican.

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