Dan Lipinski Obama Opposition: Democratic Illinois Congressman Refuses To Endorse President

Dem Illinois Congressman Refuses To Endorse Obama

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski is almost certainly the only Illinois Democrat congressman not endorsing President Barack Obama's re-election.

According to a Medill report, Lipinski will not be "endorsing anyone publicly" in the heated presidential race, a vague position that one pundit suggested has to do with Lipinski's precarious status when it comes to committee assignments in Washington.

Lipinski is no stranger to holding controversial positions inconsistent with that of a traditional Chicago-area Democrat. The congressman, who represents the state's 3rd Congressional District on the Southwest Side, was the only Illinois Democrat to vote "no" on the historic "Obamacare" health reform bill.

Lipinski has consistently reiterated his opposition to the Affordable Care Act since taking that vote in 2010.

This summer, following the Supreme Court's upholding of the law, Lipinski depended his opposition because he still felt it "is unaffordable, cuts Medicare, does not do enough to lower the soaring cost of health care, and would allow federal funding for abortion."

The employer "birth control mandate" pushed by the Obama administration has been a particular bone of contention for Lipinski. Earlier this year, while visiting a Catholic grade school, he condemned the Affordable Care Act's contraception directive.

"This is the first time I’ve been shocked that people are forced to do something they don’t believe in," Lipinski said of the requirement, TribLocal previously reported.

Lipinski is being challenged by barely-funded Republican Richard Grabowski and will surely be elected to his fifth term on Nov. 6.

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