Rep. Schneider handily secures primary victory, seeks 7th Congressional term

Incumbent Rep. Brad Schneider defeated challenger Morgan Coghill in the midterm primary election, winning by a margin of 8,379 votes in a race that underscored continued support for the sitting congressman.

Schneider, of Highland Park, is serving his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and with the primary victory is advancing to November in hopes of winning reelection to represent Illinois 10th District.

“I am beyond grateful and deeply honored to once again overwhelmingly earn the Democratic nomination for Illinois’s 10th District,” he said in a statement. “To every voter, volunteer, and supporter — thank you for making your voice heard. You are what makes our democracy strong.”

Looking ahead, Schneider discussed his message headed toward the general election.

“With the primary election now behind us, it’s time to unite and work together to lift up our communities and move our country forward,” he said in a press release. “To all the voters in Illinois’s 10th District: I will work every day to represent you and your family. I will keep fighting to lower costs for working families, reduce gun violence, protect and expand reproductive freedom, and defend the fundamental rights and opportunities every American deserves.”

In his statement, Schneider urges his supporters to keep their fire for the Nov. 3 general election against Republican challenger Carl Lambrecht.

“Tonight is not the finish line — it’s the starting point. We have important work ahead to take back the House majority and restore a check on Donald Trump, standing up to his continued abuses and defending our democracy,” he said. “Onward to taking back the House in November.”

According to the Federal Election Commission, Schneider raised $2.24 million ahead of the primary, while Coghill picked up just north of $63,000.

In defeat, Coghill said he was up against “filthy money” that “took its toll.”

During the campaign, Coghill touted his humble beginnings and a progressive message left of Schneider. The campaign wants to free Palestine, fight ICE and fight for LGBTQ+ rights, among other goals.

He conceded that his campaign failed to effectively get out its message.

“We are disappointed in the results, but this is just a question of how we have to get our message out there more,” he said. “This isn’t repudiation by any means of the progressive movement; it’s that we didn’t spread our message to enough people. If enough people knew about it, we would have a different result.”

After taking a punch, Coghill is gearing up to punch back: “The results were not what we were looking for, but we are looking to move forward and build on that progressive energy.”

For his part, Schneider said he will continue to fight for lower living costs, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Social Security and women’s rights.

In Congress, Schneider serves serves on multiple committees, such as Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs.

On Monday, March 16, Schneider released a statement to criticize the Trump administration’s proposal to roll back a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that protected Americans from harmful exposure to ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen.

“We have known for decades that ethylene oxide poses a serious threat to human health,” Schneider said in the press release. “We urge the Trump Administration to follow the science and uphold strong safeguards that protect public health, ensure transparency for impacted communities, and guarantee that no family has to live with unnecessary cancer risks simply because of where they reside.”

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