* Here you go…

* Candidates wait in snow and cold to file petitions and win chance for coveted top ballot spot: Not among the early filers was cryptocurrency venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan of Petersburg, who was the last announced GOP contender for governor to select a running mate — candidates for governor and lieutenant governor must run as a team. A Sullivan spokesman did not reply when asked if he’s hoping to secure the last ballot spot next week. … Valencia spoke of the challenges of campaigning and collecting petitions this election season. “It took a lot of grit to get through petitions in dead winter during COVID in the surge,” she said. “So, I think today is just about coming together for democracy and really just excited to make the ballot and kick off what’s going to be the next sprint of the race.”

* With cloud of Madigan indictment overhead, candidates file to get on Illinois primary ballot: Also on hand, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, helped file petitions for House Republicans to get on the ballot. He said he’ll work to make voters fully aware of the cloud of corruption in Illinois politics. “Last week was a very, very convincing blow to the Democrats,” Durkin said. “I don’t know how they could recover, but the fact is my job is to educate everybody about what Democrats, Pritzker, Madigan and Welch have done statewide.”

* Irvin, Bourne and Republican slate kick off 2022 election campaign in Springfield: Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) has served in the House for 10 years. Demmer told supporters at the State House Inn that Illinois government has to be more ethical and more responsible. He noted the Commonwealth Edison deferred prosecution agreement led to charges for several people close to Madigan. Demmer was also the Republican spokesman on the special legislative committee that investigated Madigan throughout 2020. Demmer said that Democrats protected Madigan throughout the process and prevented a thorough investigation. “But we created an environment where it became impossible for Democrats to continue to evade those answers. It became impossible for them to refuse to hold their leader accountable,” Demmer said. “By the time the next term rolled around, Mike Madigan didn’t have enough support to remain Speaker of the House. And folks, today, for the first time in 50 years, we can say Mike Madigan is no longer a public official in the state of Illinois.”

* Under Madigan Corruption Cloud, Election Season Begins in Illinois: “This was the most difficult election I’ve ever been involved in,” Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough said. “First of all this is Chicago; this is winter. There’s a pandemic. They squeezed us – usually we have 90 days, this year we only had 60 days to get petitions. People didn’t answer their doors. Love Ring cameras. They don’t work for us.”

* Campaign 2022 kicks off with ‘camaraderie,’ coffee and catcalls — as candidates line up to get on the ballot: State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, used the occasion to file about 18,300 petition signatures in his race for governor — and to fire another shot in his ongoing verbal battle against primary opponent Richard Irvin. “I think he’s probably filing as a Republican. He probably should file as a Democrat. I think people are aware of that already,” Bailey said of the Aurora mayor. … “We’re sick and tired of Republicans trying to take away the benefits that working families get from having Democratic leadership,” the governor said. “We’re the party that stands up not only for voting rights and women’s rights, but also for making sure that people earn good wages, that we can create jobs for everybody in the state of Illinois.”

* Candidates for governor converge for filing day: Monday, Schimpf took aim at opponents like Darren Bailey for stoking fear and outrage during his campaign. “I offer the people of Illinois solutions instead of outrage,” Schimpf said. “You know, the missing ingredient is leadership. We need leaders that can listen to the people of Illinois learn in and lead our state in a manner that brings us together.” “People are outraged and people are scared people are moving out of the state people are pulling their children out of school at a public school,” Bailey said in response to Schimpf. “What’s the other thing that you would do, what would it be it would be to stick with the status quo. Status quo is not working.”

* Irvin ‘kicks off’ gubernatorial campaign downstate as Pritzker rallies supporters: “He’s being backed by the money and they want to keep things status quo,” Bailey said prior to filing his petitions. “And everyone that I’ve talked to here in Illinois is sick and tired of the status quo. And the fact that people are leaving this state every day, that gives credence to that.” Irvin, however, dismissed such criticism, pointing to his experience as a combat veteran and efforts by Democrats to defeat him in local elections in Aurora. “Listen, my opponents are gonna say a lot of things,” Irvin said. “And they have to because what they can’t say is that I have a record that doesn’t show that I’m the most capable person of being governor of Illinois.” … In addition to talking to voters, Irvin and Bourne were joined by a camera crew, who appeared to be collecting videos for future television ads.

* 2022 Illinois election season kicks off as candidates file petitions Monday: “The days of money supporting and buying the campaigns and politicians are over,” said State Sen. Darren Bailey, Republican candidate for governor.

* Hundreds gather to get their names on the 2022 ballot: It’s a tradition in Illinois politics to line up outside the election office to deposit your petitions on the first day they’re accepted. Candidates will have the entire week to submit their signatures, but filing them today gives them a chance to be the first name on the ballot for their race. “It’s a lot of shared camaraderie,” Gubernatorial candidate Paul Schimpf said. “Only other candidates understand what it’s like to go through this, so it’s a lot of fun.”

* Primary candidates for governor, secretary of state make it official: Without mentioning Madigan by name, Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch noted that he leads the House now and issued a critique of former GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner. Illinois “was held hostage by an extreme special interest agenda (under Rauner), and they’re trying to reboot that,” Welch said.

* Primary ballot hopefuls assemble for petition signature day: Two Democratic primaries are being closely watched. In Illinois’ first congressional district, more than 15 candidates are vying to replace retiring Congressman Bobby Rush. Chicago Alderwoman Pat Dowell is among them. “I am full of joy. I’m excited about this morning,” Dowell said. “I did not expect the line to be this long.”

* Hundreds of candidates in Illinois line up to try for the top spot on the ballot: “It’s exciting! You can feel, even in the cold, the energy. A lot of candidates have worked really hard, but I’m really proud of our campaign,” said Nikki Budzinski, a Democratic congressional hopeful. Jesse Reising, a Republican candidate for the same seat, was also in line. He was just a few spots behind Budzinski. “This is my first time going through this process,” said Reising. “It was quote the spectacle to behold.”