To date, Adam Kinzinger’s vote for President Trump’s impeachment and his continued attacks on 45 and deplorables (https://thelibertybuzz.com/republican-adam-kinzinger-mocks-trump-whining-wallowing-victimhood/, https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/12/repulsive-illinois-nevertrumper-adam-kinzinger-continues-attack-president-trump-claiming-military-service-allows-act-insubordinate/) have garnered him several primary challengers for his 16th district House seat in Illinois. I have gathered information on two challengers along with links where you can get more information about their campaigns.
Catalina Lauf, who calls herself the “anti-AOC” is a 28 year old, single woman who grew up in Illinois. Her mother is a legal immigrant from Guatemala who became an American citizen and her father is a small businessman who runs Body Worn Gear. She has an Associates degree from McHenry County College and a BA from Miami Universe. Before joining the Department of Commerce in 2018 she worked for Uber. She served as an advisor for the Department of Commerce from 2018-2020. Since leaving the Department of Commerce she has worked in her father’s business.
In 2020 Lauf ran for the House seat in Illinois 14th district but came in third in the primary, losing to state Senator Jim Oberweis . She had an awkward moment during a League of Women Voters’ candidates’ discussion before the primary. When asked if she would back “a congressional resolution extending time for states to approve the ERA”, she responded, “Would you mind explaining what the ERA is?”. Other candidates made this a major focus of the campaign. She spoke at the RNC and had a very pro-Trump message. ( https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2020/8/25/21401781/woodstock-conservative-catalina-lauf-underwood-14th-congressional-district-rnc-convention
Lauf is running on a platform addressing ending the selective banning of politicians on social media, protecting First and Second Amendment rights, and strengthening election integrity. She has referred to Kinzinger as a “weak kneed establishment Republican” and is angered by the DNC’s ongoing efforts to paint the GOP as racist.
Her website is Catalina for Congress. She went to Mar-a-Lago in early March this year but it is not known if she met directly with President Trump.
Jack Lombardi announced in February that he would primary Kinzinger. He grew up in Chicago and attended Northwestern Business College. He began a trucking business when he was 22 years old. Currently, he is the CEO of Chicago Website Design which specializes in internet marketing and works with a number of internet businesses, including Meet Positives. He is married with two children.
Lombardi states he is an America First candidate. In February he penned this discussion of his candidacy for the Illinois Review https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2021/02/lombardi-why-i-am-running-for-congress.html. In one section he discussed why he wants to run:
“My story is like so many others and that is why I understand the struggles faced by business owners in the current economy. During the economic downturn of 2008, I owned a trucking business. The difficult economy of that time forced me to close my business and declare bankruptcy. I do not want any other business owners to have to go through that type of pain, and that is why I will fight for business owners and their businesses.I am proud to say that I have worked hard, clawed my way back, and rebuilt my finances. I am now a self-made entrepreneur and the owner of a successful digital marketing company. As a small business owner, I promise to fight for the business owners of our district with the same determination and tenacity that I used to rebuild my own financial situation. I support smaller government, fewer regulations, lower taxes, and less involvement of government in our lives and businesses.”
His website is lombardiforcongress.com . It contains a great deal of information about his history and his platform. In addition to immigration reform and an end to illegal immigration, he is pro-life and supports the First and Second Amendments, strong funding and training for the police, military, and first responders, and enhanced election security measures. He describes himself as a Constitutionalist.
