Former longtime U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam is backing Republican Jeanne Ives in her 2020 run for his old seat in the 6th Congressional District.
Roskam, who served the district for six terms before ousted by Democrat Sean Casten (Downers Grove), recently joined Ives at a rally at the Medill Room in Wheaton to make it official.
In backing Ives, who served six years as state representative in the 42nd District and narrowly lost out in her 2018 Republican primary run against then-Gov. Bruce Rauner, Roskam is bypassing establishment choice and former GOP Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti.
Peter Roskam
“I’ve known Jeanne for years, and she’s represented me and my family in the General Assembly,” Roskam told Crain’s Chicago Business. “I thought she did a terrific job. I think Jeanne has strong political skills and the ability to speak forthrightly in an environment that is increasingly contentious. She’ll be able to stand up for the district in Washington.”
Along with his endorsement, Roskam said he plans to do “whatever I can” to help Ives, including fundraising for her campaign.
Following her formal announcement, Ives told the DuPage Policy Journal she plans to build her campaign on a platform that includes such issues as American security, security at the border, support for the military and pocketbook matters.
Ives stressed she’s convinced the country can ill-afford to see many of the bad policy positions that have crippled Illinois now advance to the national stage.
“Democrats have destroyed Illinois,” she told DuPage Policy Journal. “We can’t have them destroy the country the same way. We’ll be less free, our children will be less free and more burdened by government programs they have to fund. Where does that leave our kids, where does that leave us 10 years down the road?”
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