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Blast from the past considers, then drops bid for governor on same day

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Illinois

* Al Salvi lost badly to Dick Durbin for US Senate way back in 1996 and then got creamed by Jesse White two years later. But he started musing about a comeback on Facebook yesterday morning…

Regarding whether to run for Governor, here are my current thoughts:

This year will be historic.

The conventional wisdom might as well be thrown out.

My wins before were for the statewide nomination of one of the two major political parties.

This is different: to have a well known and serious candidate running on the ticket of a party that normally gets 1%?

It would be front page stuff.

Illinois law makes this a perfect storm: the key is to get a known and serious candidate to run as a 3rd party candidate.

In Illinois, you only need a plurality, and Pritzger/Rauner will split the leftist vote.

It’s always amazing when people think they’re remembered 20 years after their last race.

* Yep. Easy Peasy…

If I run for Governor as a 3rd Party candidate, it would be a 3-person race. Possible

The more I think of this, the more I like it! Illinois’ laws are perfect for this.

Theoretically, it could end up 34-33-33.

Maybe he isn’t reading the newspapers. Does the name “Sam McCann” ring a bell? Also, as he’s about to find out, Illinois laws are not “perfect for this.”

* The savior…

Conservatives have no reason to vote this Nov-which hurts us in all down-ballot races

We need Constitutional Conservatives to have a reason to go to the polls. It’ll save 100s of GOP down-ballot candidates.

* Welp…

Apparently, June 25 is the deadline to file 25,000 good signatures to run as an “Independent.” People who circulated for another party in the primary cannot circulate for us.

So, Independent is out.

I could be put on the ballot by the “Libertarians,” but this guy, who had a run-in with a Circuit Judge at Lake County Court (my brother), would have to back-out. Not promising for me getting on the ballot (or for Illinois)…

The referenced story is here. Salvi’s brother and Kash Jackson are clashing in family court. I’m thinking Kash ain’t gonna play ball.

* An hour later, he enters the bargaining stage…

Heavily funded write-in candidacy?

Is there enough disgust with ILLINOIS out there?

He does have some personal wealth as a trial lawyer, so that may be playing into this.

* After many commenters urge him to run…

Leaning toward running.

Huzzah!

* Back to the Kash Jackson idea…

Okay: The only way for me to get on the ballot is for “Kash” to give me his spot on the ballot as Libertarian candidate for Governor, and serve as my Lt. Guv.
(Chad, my friend, you’d have to drop on your sword— But you will be forever remembered!!!)

Libertarians in Illinois have to stop just trying to get their 5% (which gives them a spot on the ballot next time with no signatures).

Fellow Libertarians: LET’S WIN THIS TIME. Kash: give me your spot on the ballot and we will WIN!

* And then he circles back to the independent candidacy idea…

Election experts: Is it true, that an “Independent” needs 25,000 signatures in 45 days? What about the Libertarian nominated by the Libertarian Party?

* He certainly thinks highly of himself…

You are the most important “Focus Group” in history!

* And, finally, after several hours of this, an acceptance of sorts…

Looks like I would need to gather 25,000 signatures for an independent bid.
No other choice.

The third-party candidacies from last election didn’t get much more than 1% of the vote, so they have no standing. They need 25,000 signatures to get on the ballot also.

So, it’s run on my own, by gathering my own 25,000 signatures…or drop the whole thing. Unbelievable that the third-party candidates of the past have done so so poorly: if any of them just received 5% of the vote, they wouldn’t need to gather such a large number of signatures.

They thus can’t even GET ON THE the ballot in 2018 without gathering the same number of signatures as individuals running as independents!

In other words, these third parties are worthless. Nobody will contest their signatures, though, because nobody fears them.

When I was nominated by the GOP, I ignored the third-party candidates (even though the libertarian only campaigned by going to gun shows, taking only MY votes )…

I should have challenged his signatures and that would have easily knocked off the entire libertarian slate from the ballot.

I didn’t think it was worth my time.

They did not have the necessary number of signatures then to be on the ballot, but they were irrelevant, so we let them on the ballot and did not contest their woefully short number of signatures.

This year, they will not get the necessary signatures, but nobody will challenge them because they are irrelevant.

If I get on the ballot on their ticket, though, the two main parties will certainly both challenge the signatures: a Catch 22.

Tough call.

I am now leaning against a run for governor. The swamp of Illinois has rigged this game.
It’s a shame, because conservatives will have less reason to go to the polls – and that will hurt the down-ballot conservative candidates.

Let’s hope that the corruption of Illinois does not contribute to the corrupt impeachment of our president.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:35 pm

Comments

Here’s another point for a Salvi comback that he may have missed:

When Durbin and White beat him, people knew who he was.

Comment by Wallinger Dickus Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:40 pm
He’s wrong, among other points, that the Democrats and Republicans regularly challenge Libertarian signatures.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:41 pm
This isn’t a stream of consciousness, it’s a strain of consciousness.

Comment by Anon221 Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:42 pm
“— contribute to the corrupt impeachment of our president. —”

Lets make that “impeachment of our corrupt president.”

But it is good to know he is still around and even less relevant.

Comment by illini Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:46 pm
I can’t believe the guy who did no research before incorrectly accusing Jim Brady also did no research before deciding to run for Governor.

Comment by The Captain Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:52 pm
That is some Trumpian-level narcissism.

Comment by TominChicago Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:52 pm
Salvi wrote he was planning to run with as the Constitution Party’s candidate. For what it’s worth - not much - the Constitution Party nominated William Kelly as their candidate back in March.

Comment by Trumpianish Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:55 pm
25,000 signatures is not impossible. Ives got into the race late (as an established party candidate) and collected over 16,000 signatures during the final weeks of the petition circulation period. Her papers were in good order and were not challenged. Salvi would probably need 40,000+ to be safe.

Comment by Practical Politics Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:56 pm
Not an Al Salvi fan - like most people.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:59 pm
Big Al is a plaintiffs lawyer. The party platform calls for fort reform. Same for the guy who is trying to take out gop party chairman Tim Schneider. But hey. What does that matter. The platform only matters when it comes to social issues.

Comment by 19th ward guy Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:03 pm
“What this state needs right now is a conservative trial lawyer politician who’s been retired and forgotten for twenty years,” said No One Ever.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:06 pm
That was a wild ride.

Comment by NIU Grad Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:10 pm
Is Al Holfeld available as a running mate?

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:15 pm
Probably shouldn’t go on Facebook while tripping. That was just weird.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:20 pm
What a whiner. “They took “my” votes.” “He should give “me” his slot.” Talk about entitled.

Comment by JoanP Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:38 pm
We have a candidate with a liberal following and one with a conservative following. I guess Salvi thinks we need a candidate with no following.

Comment by Real Goes Wrong Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 3:05 pm
Does Sam McCann really think he can win this election?

Comment by Mama Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 3:08 pm
I actually thought about this this morning, but what’s Rich Whitney up to nowadays? Any chance he may ever entertain another try as Governor for the Greens?

I can see this slogan: “We Need a Governor Named Rich, Not a Governor Who’s Richie Rich.”

Comment by Leatherneck Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 3:09 pm
Kids: Don’t do drugs. If you do do drugs, don’t get on social media (Like this guy). I wonder if his mirror musings about himself to himself are as disturbingly bothersome/repulsive?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 3:57 pm
@Leatherneck -

He’s at the Office of the State Appellate Defender in Mount Vernon. https://www.facebook.com/richwhitneyIL

Comment by JoanP Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 4:01 pm
kind of sad, is it not? this guy is beyond irrelevant. not that he ever was. he seems to forget the message many voters sent in his last election eons ago… please go away, al.

Comment by CICOM Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 4:19 pm
and Pritzger/Rauner will split the leftist vote.

Strong read

Comment by Signal and Noise Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 4:37 pm
He never did give me a straight answer on if he took Libertarian positions on social issues like gay marriage, drug policy, privacy, ect

Comment by RMWStanford Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 6:53 pm
- Mama - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 3:08 pm:

Does Sam McCann really think he can win this election?
—

It doesn’t help among some Springfield-area voters that the name “Sam McCann” might be mistaken for a former Springfield alderman who has had some personal issues over the years that has made the news (that’s all I’m going to say about that):

https://capitolfax.com/2012/03/19/my-state-fair-story/

http://www.sj-r.com/article/20110614/news/306149927

http://illinoistimes.com/article-15400-cahnman-faces-ethics-inquiry.html

Among many others.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 8:25 pm
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 8:25 pm:

It doesn’t help among some Springfield-area voters that the name “Sam McCann” might be mistaken for a former Springfield alderman who has had some personal issues over the years that has made the news (that’s all I’m going to say about that):
———-

Sorry, that was me–forgot to add my nickname (I thought it had been already saved there).

I also wonder that if McCann overcomes the certain petition challenges and becomes viable Downstate (perhaps even threatening to carry a small Downstate county or two over Rauner and Pritzker), if Rauner could pull a page from the Blago 2002 playbook and confuse voters into thinking that Jim Ryan was George Ryan. But this time confusing the two Sam’s: McCann with some of the past SJR headlines about the issues and problems Cahnman faced over the years.

Comment by Leatherneck Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 8:34 pm
McCann seemed to do just fine in Springfield with his name

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 10:55 pm