* From Sen. Sam McCann’s Facebook page…

For the first time in a century, Downstate will control the outcome of this gubernatorial election.

How?

Because this is NOT a two-way race. Since both the R and the D nominees are both white male billionaires from Chicago who are uber-liberal on the social issues, they will split the Chicago vote - and effectively cancel each other out.

I believe that the three of us will split the Collar Counties equally, or thereabouts.

What that means: If Downstate will stick together; if Downstate will give us the opportunity to lead and to serve by giving us their vote, WE WIN!

If we are not successful in this mission, it will be because Downstate fumbles the ball. In a two-way race, it is impossible for a Downstate conservative to win. But in the paradigm that now exists, we CAN win and we WILL win if we stick together and if People vote their consciences and belief system instead of their party.

If we are not successful, no one can ever again claim that “Chicago controls everything”. If we are not successful, it will be because Downstaters voted for one of the two Chicago candidates. Downstaters, conservatives, moderates and good-government types, here’s the opportunity you’ve been asking for for generations. This is your moment.

Downstate Illinois, and center-right voters in every ZIP code across the state, are being given an amazing opportunity. The opportunity to take the control of Illinois state government away from the politicians who steered us into this ditch (both political parties). The opportunity to wrest that control from those politicians who are only concerned about the next election instead of the next generation.

As I told subscribers on Friday, McCann’s own internal polling has him at 11 percent, with 10 percent undecided. Gov. Rauner was at 29, Pritzker was at 42 and Kash Jackson was polling at 6, with “other” at 1 (800 likely voters polled July 25-29 with MoE of +/-3.5 percent).

In other words, McCann has a long way to go before he even gets onto that path. And Rauner and Pritzker won’t “cancel each other out” in the city. Also, considering how well the Democrats are doing in suburban special elections these days, I’m not sure an equal suburban split between the three is in the cards.

* And if Rauner does run any TV ads about McCann, he’ll undoubtedly do his best to tie him to Speaker Madigan the way he tied Jeanne Ives to the guy. Here’s what the governor told reporters yesterday about Madigan and McCann…

Rauner: But, for example, he recruited McCann. He and, uh, Pritzker and their cronies recruited McCann to run.

Bernie: You don’t know that.

Rauner: Yes. [Laughs]

Bernie: How do you know that?

Rauner: I, I know well who’s, who talked to who and who recruited what.

But, hey, a guy can dream and it’s still a free country.