Dupage Policy Journal

Republican congressional candidate Jeanne Ives is warning voters that U.S. Rep. Sean Casten's (D-Downers Grove) joining forces with other Democrats to smear Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh with more sexual misconduct claims is just another example of who her potential opponent really is.

“Sean Casten is an unreasonable, unserious person,” Ives, who is challenging Casten in the 6th Congressional District, said in a press release. “Rather than working to pass a budget that helps lower taxes for the families in his district, he spends his time hyping trivial matters like a high school mean girl. He talks about the world ending in 12 years. He’s on board with a plan that would abolish private health care, like families get from their employers. Rather than respecting the rule of law, he aligns himself with those who want open borders and the abolition of our Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.”

Ives' ire was raised anew after Casten recently took to social media to join other Democrats in calling for Kavanaugh's ouster stemming from allegations raised in an essay based on the book, "The Education of Brett Kavanaugh: An Investigation."

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove)

Ives has been quick to point out that left out of the essay but included in the book is the fact that charges against Kavanaugh have been denied by the victim. In addition, CBS News has reported at least four witnesses identified by Christine Ford, another one of Kavanaugh’s alleged victims, as attendees of the party at which she was attacked, do not recall any such incident.

“Sean Casten supports politically motivated smear campaigns over due process because he is an ideological extremist,” Ives said. “Assassinate someone’s character, ignore due process, when the allegation turns out to be uncorroborated, walk away. He represents the worst of our venomous politics.”

Ives, who previously served six years as state representative of the 42nd District and narrowly lost out to then-Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018, forecasts her approach as being a breath of fresh air for residents of the district.  

 “I am running because the 6th District deserves a representative who has a record of representing her district, not pushing his political fantasies,” Ives said. “The 6th District is made up of problem-solvers with common sense. Casten represents a minority of radical Democrats with silly ideas. Nothing about him is representative of our community.”