On April 19, Illinois State Senator Sam McCann announced that he is no longer a Republican, that instead he is a member of the party he has just formed, the Conservative Party. Also he will petition to get on the ballot as the Conservative Party gubernatorial nominee. Hie Lieutenant Governor running mate will be Aaron Merreighn.

Thanks to the Libertarian Party’s win last year against the full-slate law, the new Conservative Party will not be forced to run anyone for the other statewide offices up this year, which are Secretary of State, Attorney General, Comptroller, and Treasurer.

The Conservative Party will need 25,000 valid signatures by June 25. The only other party that is petitioning for statewide office is the Libertarian Party. See this story. Thanks to Sam Cahnman for this news.