Dupage Policy Journal

With each passing day, the 6th District U.S. House race between incumbent Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove) and Republican Jeanne Ives of Wheaton becomes harder to predict.

After almost five decades of Republican control, Casten unseated six-term GOP incumbent Peter Roskam in 2018. But not even that upset pales in comparison to the level of unrest and uncertainty the lingering COVID-19 crisis has interjected into the race this time around.

With the race for it all less than seven months away, no bet seems a safe one in the suddenly topsy-turvy district, where clearly anything can now happen.

"Forecasts of the 2020 election are harder than ever given the unpredictable fallout from the pandemic," Brian Gaines, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Department of Political Science and at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, told the Daily-Herald. "With ordinary life on hold for who knows how long, it is hard to guess whether turnout will be nothing like usual, e.g. the usually reliable elderly staying home, and whether incumbents will be enjoying an approval rally or a backlash of frustration that normal life isn't back."

In Congress, the 48-year-old Casten has made his mark as a clean energy savant committed to keeping the planet safe and thriving. His other platform policies include improving the Affordable Care Act, raising the minimum wage, strengthening employment, and addressing "massive wealth inequality," all of which he says are priorities for district residents.

Ives, who formerly served as state representative of the 42nd District for three terms and narrowly lost out to then Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in the 2018 primary, is willing to let her record do the talking. Her career also highlighted by her longtime advocacy for pension and tax reform as well as greater government transparency, providing "conservative leadership and an unwavering commitment to the taxpayers' bottom line."

With political scientists estimating that four out of every five voters already have their minds made up in the race, the stakes are even higher in terms of each candidate wanting to drive home their message with independent and undecided voters. This is especially true with the lingering virus still at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Election Day is Nov. 3.