By Matt Simonette

Staff writer

Incumbent Dan Lipinski, a conservative Democrat, won the congressional primary Tuesday night, capturing 53 percent of the vote in his Southwest Side district.

Lipinski was last year listed as the House’s “most endangered” Democrat and was challenged this election by Western Springs attorney Mark Pera, Palos Hills mayor Jerry Bennett and Chicago attorney Jim Capparelli.

Lipinski’s challengers accused the congressman of being too conservative and said he had his seat by the good graces of his father, the district’s former representative, William Lipinski. They also questioned the ethics behind a number of Lipinski’s dealings, many of them involving his father.

Lipinski has said that, as far as his social viewpoints are concerned, he merely reflects the viewpoints of his working-class district. Last year, he voted against passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Another candidate who has in the past run afoul of the GLBT community, businessman Jim Oberweis, won the GOP primary for the House seat in the 14th district Tuesday, defeating opponents Chris Lauzen and Michael Dilger. The district, encompassing Aurora, Elgin and DeKalb, among other cities, had been represented by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R), who resigned last year.