Candace Gingrich-Jones, the half-sister of Republican Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, said she sees state Rep. Kelly Cassidy as "the next Tammy Baldwin."
Gingrich-Jones, an outspoken LGBT-rights activist and longtime personal friend of Cassidy, headlined Cassidy's recent Lakeview fundraiser Jan. 18.
She joked about her half-brother Newt, who she has vowed to vote against, particularly because of his stance against LGBT rights.
"While we don't get to choose who we're related to, we do get to choose who represents us," she said.
Gingrich-Jones, who came to Chicago solely for the fundraiser, gave her old friend a strong endorsement. "Kelly is destined to be a public servant," Gingrich-Jones said, adding later that "Kelly is the next Tammy Baldwin."
Baldwin, who is running for U.S. Senate, could become the first openly gay person in that legislative body.
Cassidy said she is taking it one race at a time. She is running in the primary against Paula Basta, a veteran LGBT activist who is also an out lesbian.
Among the major players in local LGBT politics who attended the fundraiser were 44th Ward Ald. Tom Tunney, 46th Ward Ald. James Cappleman and state Reps. Greg Harris and Deb Mell.
Cassidy said she welcomes the challenges facing the Illinois House: "As my mother always said, 'How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.'"
The fundraiser was held at the Lakeview home of Bradley Lippitz and Jonathan Pizer.