Old Heads May Ruin Democrats' Plans For Generational Change

With the help of millions in special interest cash, two former Illinois House members could head back to Washington.

The Democrats’ party-wide push for generational change is running into some major roadblocks in Illinois, with two former members of Congress well-positioned to regain their seats thanks to heavy funding by outside interest groups.

In the 2nd District, Jesse Jackson, Jr., who left Congress in 2012 amid a corruption scandal, is the frontrunner. In the more suburban 8th District, business-friendly former Rep. Melissa Bean has a huge spending advantage over the other candidates. Even in the 9th District, where two progressives are leading, polling indicates a long-time politician is favored over a 26-year-old newcomer.

The results, in one of the first major sets of primaries this cycle, will be closely watched and could complicate the belief Democratic voters are ready to throw the bums out and elect fresh faces to replace octogenarian incumbents, or at the very least suggest those desires aren’t strong enough to overcome millions of dollars’ worth of television ads from outside interest groups.

David Hogg, the Democratic activist who runs Leaders We Deserve, which backs youthful candidates for office and is supporting 40-year-old state Sen. Robert Peters against Jackson, 61, said the results may end up more reflective of money than anything else.

“I don’t think it’s a signal of the hunger for generational change. The hunger is definitely there,” he said. “In most of these races, we know, whoever raises the most money is typically the person who wins. And usually the person who raises the most money, unfortunately, is the person who’s willing to sell out the most to whatever special interest is willing to curry favor with them.”