IL GOP 3rd CD candidates Mike Fricilone, Catherine O'Shea
TINLEY PARK – Last Thursday night at a forum hosted by Bremen Township Republicans and Will County Republicans, two Republicans vying to challenge Democrat incumbent US Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-03) in November 2020 answered questions about their decisions to run for office.
Will County Board member Mike Fricilone and real estate company owner Catherine O'Shea are two of three candidates that will be on the 3rd CD's Republican Primary ballot on March 17, 2020.
During the discussion, former Democrat O'Shea challenged Republicans to reach out to union members to regain a foothold in Illinois. Fricilone proposed a more organized outreach to Millennials to grow the IL GOP.
Mike Fricilone has won the backing of both the Will County GOP Chairman George Pearson and the Cook County GOP Chairman Sean Morrison.
The 3rd CD is a gerrymandered district shaped like a peninsula that starts at Lake Michigan’s shores and extends southwest to the Will County town of Elwood.
Fricilone is in a three-way primary with Catherine O’Shea and the controversial Arthur Jones. Currently, the seat is being held by Congressman Dan Lipinski. Lipinski is facing three challengers in the Democrat primary. Whoever wins the party primaries in March 2020 will face off next November.
Ms. O'Shea was not expected at the forum, so the discussion turned to include both Fricilone and O'Shea in the discussion. The panel moderator was Illinois Review's editor Fran Eaton. The following issues were discussed in this candidate forum:
QUESTION: Could you tell us why you are qualified to represent the 3rd CD and why you are running for this office?
QUESTION: What would be your top two legislative priorities if you were to be elected in 2020?
QUESTION: The IL GOP has struggled over the past few decades to battle the Democrats in this state. How would you conduct your campaign in 2020 in a way that would show leadership and direction and bring the IL GOP’s different party factions together for success?
The evening's 3rd CD discussion via unedited audio:
Other Illinois Review stories on the candidate forum:
