Illinois State Senator John O. Jones, who has been in the Illinois Senate since the 2002 election, will not appear on the March 2012 Republican primary ballot because his petition was challenged and Jones decided he can’t defend his own petition. He says he may form his own political party and petition onto the November ballot. He is also free to be an independent candidate if he wishes. See this story.

Jones is the second incumbent Republican state legislator this year to be forced off a primary ballot. The first was Representative Rosemary Mulligan, who intends to win re-nomination in her primary via write-in votes. Unlike Jones, Mulligan has no primary opponent, so it is obvviously much easier for her to win a write-in nomination in the primary than it would be for Jones. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for the link.