Dem rep invites colleague’s primary rival to SOTU

Illinois Senate hopeful Andrea Zopp, who is mounting a long-shot primary bid against Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D), will attend the State of the Union address with the only House colleague of Duckworth’s who has endorsed her opponent. 

Zopp will go as a guest of Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), who broke with the party’s establishment to endorse her over Duckworth, who is the pick of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to take on Sen. Mark Kirk (R) in one of the nation’s most competitive Senate elections. 

{mosads}“I am very grateful to have the support of Congressman Davis and look forward to being his guest as President Obama delivers his final State of the Union address,” Zopp said.

“I look forward to witnessing this State of the Union address as a guest this year and attending the following one as a member of the United States Senate.” 

Zopp’s campaign added that she’ll also attend a breakfast with the Congressional Black Caucus’s political action committee, along with members of the caucus. Zopp recently served as the head of the Chicago Urban League, a group that works to expand opportunities for Chicago’s black residents, a voting bloc she’ll need to win if she wants to upset Duckworth. 

Duckworth has won most of the state’s congressional endorsements, including that of Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and holds leads in most polls. But Zopp has the backing of Davis and former White House chief of staff Bill Daley.