User:Political Geek/sandbox

Marie Newman is an American entrepreneur, marketing consultant and nonprofit executive. A Democrat, in April 2017 Newman declared her candidacy to represent Illinois's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.

Early life
Newman was born in Beverly, Illinois and went to Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Illinois. She attended college at the University of Wisconsin.

Career
Newman worked for multiple firms as an agency executive. She began her own consulting firm in 2005. She also established her own nonprofit to combat bullying after one of her children was bullied. She was appointed to a regional anti-bullying task force by Governor Pat Quinn and was asked by Sears Holdings Corporation to establish a national anti-bullying coalition of 70 nonprofit organizations.

Newman has worked on several Democratic campaigns for public office. Over the last two years, she lobbied for gun control measures such as background checks.

2018 House of Representatives election
On April 10, 2017, Newman declared her candidacy for the Illinois 3rd Congressional district in an email to supporters saying "I'm in" and "our values are not being represented in this district." She is challenging Democratic incumbent Dan Lipinski, a member of the Blue Dog Coalition.

A first-time candidate, Newman applied to the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership shortly after Hillary Clinton, whom Newman supported in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, lost the race to Donald Trump in November 2016. By January 1, 2017, Newman had closed her business to turn her attention to politics full-time.

As of December 31, 2017, Newman has raised over $380,000 in the closely watched race; she outraised Lipinski in the final quarter of 2017, although he leads significantly in cash on hand. Newman has drawn attention for the large number of state and national organizations endorsing her primary campaign against incumbent Lipinski, including Daily Kos, the Human Rights Campaign, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Planned Parenthood, Emily's List, the SEIU state council, National Nurses United, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Feminist Majority Foundation, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Democracy for America, MoveOn.org and Our Revolution, as well as several Democratic members of Congress, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Representatives Luis Gutiérrez and Jan Schakowsky, both Illinois Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Newman's campaign has reported an internal poll in October 2017 showed that when voters were apprised of Lipinski's views, Newman led the race by five points (39-34).

Political views
Newman is pro-choice and a supporter of gun control, a $15 minimum wage, and single-payer healthcare. She is a member of the Justice Democrats.

Newman supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary for the U.S. presidency, then Hillary Clinton in the general election.

Personal life
Newman lives in La Grange, Illinois with her husband of 21 years and her two children.