Bailey Campaign Attempting to Knock Independent off Ballot
Independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbet speaks to media in Arlington Heights May 27.
The Republican Darren Bailey campaign for Governor Tuesday took the extraordinary step of directly challenging a third party or independent candidate’s attempts to get on the November ballot.
Bailey’s running mate, Aaron Del Mar, filed a petition challenge to Collin Corbett, a former Republican political strategist who left the party last month before announcing his campaign for Governor as an independent. Campaigns typically enlist a supporter or random constituent to file petition challenges, but Del Mar filed the challenge himself.
Corbett is seen by Republicans as a direct challenge to Bailey which would split the GOP vote and guarantee a third term for Governor JB Pritzker.
State law required Corbett to file 25,000 valid signatures. The Corbett campaign submitted around 38,000 signatures last week.
In a news release Tuesday, Del Mar and Kristina McCloy, a suburban GOP activist, said they were challenging 20,000 of Corbett’s petition signatures.
“The petition process exists to ensure that every candidate demonstrates genuine support and complies with the law. Our review identified serious concerns that warrant a full examination by the Board of Elections,” Del Mar said. “The same rules should apply equally to every candidate seeking public office.”
The campaign did not provide any examples of their concerns in their news release, but did accuse the Corbett campaign of using paid circulators, which is a common campaign tool and is not against the law.
The Illinois State Board of Elections does not release details of petition challenges to the media until the State Board reviews them.
In a statement, the Corbett campaign said their signatures would hold up.
“We have not seen the objection yet, but we know we have over 25,000 valid signatures, so we’re not worried,” the campaign said.
The process of litigating the challenge could take weeks, or even months.
Nearly all other third party candidates for Governor that filed last week are facing petition challenges. Democrats are challenging the petitions of Green Party candidate Griselda Romero and the entire Green Party slate. They filed around 12,000 of the 25,000 required signatures. Independence Party candidate Gary Pierce filed with fewer than 2,500 signatures and was challenged.
The Democratic Party of Illinois challenged the petitions of avowed Nazi Richard Mayers, a third party candidate for Governor, who named his party “Germanic Aryan Supremacy Smokers, Gamblers.” Mayers filed his ballot name to include the name of a Nazi salute.
“The Democratic Party of Illinois is committed to standing against the hate, racism and antisemitism that he represents whenever and wherever it surfaces,” said DPI executive director Ben Hardin in a statement. “A candidate who nicknames himself a Nazi salute should never have his name on a ballot.”
Mayers attempted to run for Congress in Indiana earlier this year and was removed from the ballot in that state.
Two of the three independent candidates in the 4th Congressional District also face challenges. Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and political operative Mayra Macias were challenged. The petitions of Lyons Mayor Chris Getty were not challenged.
The independents are attempting to face the former Chief of Staff to Congressman Chuy Garcia (D-Chicago), Patty Garcia. Chuy Garcia pulled a bait-and-switch at the end of the Democratic filing period, withdrawing his name at the last minute in favor Patty Garcia, who is no relation to the Congressman.
