Because she is on a ten-day junket to Columbia.

The 8th district congresswoman campaigned for Barack Obama in South Carolina earlier this month, but on election day Saturday she was in warmer climes in Medellin, Columbia, with nine other congressional Democrats.

Another indication that this early primary election day is primarily about making the re-nomination of incumbents safer than they already are.

It looks as if she will return before Illinois’ February 5th primary election, when Bean faces a Democratic primary challenge from Randi Scheurer.