Illinois GOP governor nominee Darren Bailey seeks to block independent from Nov. 3 ballot

CHICAGO - Republican governor candidate Darren Bailey's political campaign, fearing an independent candidacy from a former GOP operative might siphon away votes in a general election, is challenging the petitions of Collin Corbett, alleging they lack the minimum 25,000 legally valid signatures needed to make the Nov. 3 ballot.

The challenge to Corbett's petitions comes as officials of both the state Republican and Democratic parties also formally objected to the candidacy of perennial candidate Richard Mayers to try to place himself on the ballot for governor under the name of Richard "Sieg Heil" Mayers of the "Germanic Aryan Supremacy Smokers, Gamblers" party. He filed a lone petition candidacy signature - his own.

Meanwhile, in the 4th Congressional District race representing parts of Chicago and the near-west suburbs, a trio of Chicago residents challenged the candidacy petitions of two progressives who are running as independents against Democratic nominee Patty García for the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García.

The Bailey campaign's objection in the governor's race to Corbett was filed with the State Board of Elections by the Republican's running mate, Aaron Del Mar, and Kristina McCloy, contending that more than 20,000 signatures of the 37,000 that Corbett said he filed were not valid. A minimum of 25,000 signatures is needed for an independent to appear on the general election ballot.

"Illinois voters deserve fair, transparent, and lawful elections," Del Mar said in a statement. "Our review identified serious concerns that warrant a full examination by the Board of Elections. The same rules should apply equally to every candidate seeking public office."

Corbett's campaign said it was "reviewing the objection, but we know we have over 25,000 valid signatures, so we're not worried."

Corbett, of Palatine, announced his independent candidacy days after renouncing the current state of the Republican Party and dropping his consulting business work with GOP contenders.

After Corbett filed his candidacy petitions, Bailey issued an email to supporters contending the independent candidate had "no path to victory with a very clear ability to split our vote in half," making two-term Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker the beneficiary of the effort.

In response, Corbett's campaign said Bailey's criticism was a symbol of "how desperate" and "historically weak" the GOP nominee's candidacy was, a reference to Bailey's 2022 loss to Pritzker by about 13 percentage points. Corbett's campaign said it had "validated each signature and verified it filed with well above the required 25,000 valid signatures."

The objections to Mayers' candidacy are nothing new, and he has had a history of attempting to make the ballot under antisemitic or white supremacist labels in Illinois and Indiana.

In March, Mayers' name, adding the German phrase for a Nazi salute, was removed from the Republican primary ballot for U.S. representative in northwest Indiana's 1st Congressional District.

Mayers lost the 2000 Democratic primary against then-U.S. Rep. William Lipinski. Also, in 2000, Mayers was rejected in his bid to place three nonbinding referendum questions on the Cook County ballot asking voters to support U.S. constitutional amendments to ban interracial marriage, prohibit abortion of "healthy white babies," and send Black prison inmates "back to western Africa." He submitted fewer than 50 signatures across all three petitions.

In the race for Illinois' 4th District, three objectors - two of whom circulated petitions on behalf of Patty García - filed challenges to two of García's top opponents, Mayra Macias and Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th.

Macias, Sigcho-Lopez and Lyons Mayor Chris Getty are running as independents against García, who has faced criticism following a controversial political maneuver by her political mentor, Rep. García. Last year, Rep. García filed to run for reelection but at the last minute took himself out of the race, leaving Patty García, his former chief of staff who is of no family relation, as the only candidate on the Democratic ballot in the heavily Democratic district.

Sigcho-Lopez argued Wednesday that the challenges show Patty García is trying to get elected to the seat without facing any real opposition.

"It's shameful already that there's only one Democratic nominee on the ballot because of unethical machine tactics," Sigcho-Lopez said. "They are doubling down and now they are trying to undermine the democratic process."

Macias' campaign adviser, Hugo Jacobo, said the move showed García "wants this seat handed to her."

"The coronation is not going to plan," Jacobo said in a statement. "This is another anti-democratic move by someone who's failed to do even the basics."

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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 9:40 PM.