State candidates make it official as petition filing opens
SPRINGFIELD — After months of candidates announcing their plans to run for office, hopefuls began turning in thousands of petition signatures Monday to get on the March 18 primary election ballot.
It could be an active primary season locally for the GOP with every Republican ticket for governor having suburban ties, the leading candidates for U.S. Senate coming from the Chicago area, crowded fields for Congress and campaigns for Illinois General Assembly that could focus on candidates who disagree about same-sex marriage.
Democrats, the majority party in the state, also filed petitions Monday. Leading the slate will be U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. Pat Quinn.
“Today is really when you jump into the pool,” said state Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Hinsdale Republican and candidate for governor who filed petitions Monday.
Candidates who lined up in the cold before 8 a.m. at the Illinois Board of Elections got into a lottery to have their names at the top of the ballot list for that particular office. Experts say that top spot could net a few votes.
Because of that, the lineup for the March 18 election was largely set by the time election offices closed Monday. However, candidates have until next Monday, Dec. 2, to file, and some wait until the last minute to claim the bottom ballot position in their races.
Candidates for county office file petitions beginning Monday with county clerks.
Among those not filing Monday were Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates and Gov. Quinn. A Republican primary opponent for state Rep. Ed Sullivan of Mundelein hasn't yet surfaced, despite vocal opposition to Sullivan's support for same-sex marriage.
Even candidates without primary election battles arrived for the show Monday, including Republican Bob Dold, whose rematch bid for Congress against Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Deerfield could be watched nationally.
“Big step today,” Dold said to a passing supporter.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Rutherford's running mate, Steve Kim of Northbrook, said the campaign filed more than twice the number of signatures it needed despite an early snafu that forced them to restart the collection effort.
“That was a nonissue,” Kim said.
And Republican governor candidate Bill Brady's running mate, Maria Rodriguez of Long Grove, said she's been trying to help Brady in the Chicago area.
“I've been focusing a lot of my time in Cook and the collar counties,” she said.
Republican hopeful Bruce Rauner's petition signatures for governor were also filed Monday. A Democratic challenger to Quinn, Tio Hardiman of Hillside, filed to run.
Both state Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove and Doug Truax of Downers Grove filed in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, and the GOP has contested primaries for Congress for chances to run against Democrats Duckworth and U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville.
U.S. Senate
Democrat
* Dick Durbin, Chicago
Republican
Jim Oberweis, Sugar Grove
Doug Truax, Downers Grove
Governor and lieutenant
Democrat
Tio Hardiman, Hillside; Brunell Donald, Chicago
Republican
Bill Brady, Bloomington; Maria Rodriguez, Long Grove
Kirk Dillard, Hinsdale; Jil Tracy, Quincy
Bruce Rauner, Winnetka; Evelyn Sanguinetti, Wheaton
Dan Rutherford, Chenoa; Steve Kim, Northbrook
Attorney General
Democrat
* Lisa Madigan, Chicago
Secretary of State
Democrat
* Jesse White, Chicago
Comptroller
Republican
* Judy Baar Topinka, Riverside
Treasurer
Democrat
Mike Frerichs, Champaign
Republican
Tom Cross, Oswego
Bob Grogan, Downers Grove
Congress
5th District
Democrat
* Mike Quigley, Chicago
6th District
Republican
* Peter Roskam, Wheaton
8th District
Republican
Larry Kaifesh, Carpentersville
Manju Goel, Aurora
9th District
Democrat
* Jan Schakowsky, Evanson
Republican
David Earl Williams III, Chicago
10th District
Democrat
* Brad Schneider, Deerfield
Republican
Bob Dold, Kenilworth
11th District
Democrat
* Bill Foster, Naperville
Republican
Chris Balkema, Channahon
Bert Miller, Hinsdale
Darlene Senger, Naperville
14th District
Republican
* Randy Hultgren, Winfield
Democrat
John Hosta, Spring Grove
Dennis Anderson, Gurnee
Illinois Senate
21st District
Republican
* Michael Connelly, Lisle
24th District
Republican
Dennis Reboletti, Elmhurst
Chris Nybo, Elmhurst
27th District
Republican
* Matt Murphy, Palatine
33rd District
Republican
* Karen McConnaughay, St. Charles
39th District
Democrat
* Don Harmon, Oak Park
Bob Galhotra, Chicago
42nd District
Democrat
* Linda Holmes, Aurora
Illinois House
20th District
Republican
* Michael McAuliffe, Chicago
Michael Yorty, Schiller Park
41st District
Democrat
Ed Agustin, Naperville
42nd District
Republican
* Jeanne Ives, Wheaton
43rd District
Democrat
* Keith Farnham, Elgin
44th District
Democrat
* Fred Crespo, Hoffman Estates
45th District
Republican
Christine Jennifer Winger, Wood Dale
Seth Lewis, Bartlett
Daniel Brinkman, Carol Stream
Democrat
Jenny Burke, Itasca
46th District
Republican
Heidi Holan, Glen Ellyn
Democrat
* Deb Conroy, Villa Park
47th District
Republican
* Patti Bellock, Hinsdale
48th District
Republican
* Sandra Pihos, Glen Ellyn
Peter Breen, Lombard
50th District
Republican
Beth Goncher, Aurora
Keith Wheeler, Oswego
Julie Cosimo, Oswego
51st District
Republican
* Ed Sullivan, Mundelein
52nd District
Republican
* David McSweeney, Barrington Hills
53rd District
Republican
David Harris, Arlington Heights
54th District
Republican
Tom Morrison, Palatine
55th District
Democrat
* Marty Moylan, Des Plaines
Republican
Mel Thillens, Park Ridge
56th District
Democrat
* Michelle Mussman, Schaumburg
Republican
Jim Moynihan, Schaumburg
57th District
Democrat
* Elaine Nekritz, Northbrook
58th District
Democrat
* Scott Drury, Highwood
59th District
Democrat
* Carol Sente, Vernon Hills
Republican
Leslie Munger, Lincolnshire
60th District
Democrat
* Rita Mayfield, Waukegan
61st Distrct
Republican
Sheri Jesiel, Winthrop Harbor
Democrat
Loren Karner, Winthrop Harbor
62nd District
Democrat
* Sam Yingling, Grayslake
63rd Distrct
Democrat
* Jack Franks, Marengo
65th District
Republican
Steven Andersson, Geneva
Debbie Miller, Elgin
66th District
Republican
Mike Tryon, Crystal Lake
77th District
Democrat
Kathleen Willis, Addison
81st District
Republican
* Ron Sandack, Downers Grove
Keith Matune, Downers Grove
82nd District
Republican
* Jim Durkin, Western Springs
83rd District
Democrat
* Linda Chapa LaVia, Aurora
84th District
Democrat
* Stephanie Kifowit, Oswego
Republican
Krishna Bansal, Naperville
97th District
Republican
Mark Batinick, Plainfield
Richard Chapman, Shorewood