Casten, Newman to appear at Willowbrook candidate forum

The two incumbent lawmakers seeking the Democratic nomination in Illinois’ 6th Congressional District will come together Friday for a candidate forum in Willowbrook.

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove, who now represents the 6th, and U.S. Rep. Marie Casten of La Grange, who represents the 3rd District, will talk about the issues facing the district and the nation at the Mecca Center, 16W560 91st St.

The forum will run from 6 to 7:45 p.m.

Sponsoring the event are the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition; the DuPage Federation of Human Services Reform; Empower Southwest; Illinois NOW; the Indo-American Democratic Organization; the Islamic Center of Naperville; Latino Policy Forum; the Mohammed Webb Foundation; NAACP-Dupage; and the Mecca Center.

The newly redrawn 6th District includes much of the West and Southwest suburbs in Cook and DuPage counties.

In addition to Casten and Newman, Chicagoan Charles Hughes is seeking the Democratic nomination in the June 28 primary election.

The Democratic primary is the only Illinois congressional race to feature two Democratic incumbents. Newman’s home is in the new 4th District but near the 6th.

Six candidates are running for the Republican nomination: Niki Conforti of Glen Ellyn, Rob Cruz of Oak Lawn, Gary Grasso of Burr Ridge, Scott Kaspar of Orland Park, Catherine A. O’Shea of Oak Lawn and Keith Pekau of Orland Park.

The Democrats and most of the Republicans met in separate online forums this week hosted by suburban League of Women Voters groups. Recordings of those forums are available on the League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn’s YouTube page.

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20220505/casten-newman-to-appear-at-willowbrook-candidate-forum