A state senator has officially thrown his hat into Illinois' high-profile and expensive governor's race.
Republican state Sen. Sam McCann says he filed more than 60,000 signatures Monday to secure a spot on the November ballot against Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrat J.B. Pritzker. McCann needs 25,000 valid signatures to qualify, and a ballot challenge is expected.McCann is running as a Conservative Party candidate to mount a far-right threat to Rauner, who narrowly defeated conservative state Rep. Jeanne Ives to win the GOP nomination.
The Plainview lawmaker says Rauner has "abandoned" core GOP values. Rauner recently signed laws expanding public funding for abortions and limiting law enforcement interactions with immigrants.
Navy veteran Grayson "Kash" Jackson of Antioch also filed to run as the Libertarian Party candidate for governor.