Third party candidates secure ballot spots in gov race

With no objections filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections, come November, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner will face not only Democrat J.B. Pritzker, but also two third-party candidates — a Downstate state senator who could pull conservative support and a Libertarian candidate who could land behind bars unless he coughs up child support payments.

The deadline to file objections against independent and third party candidates was Monday.

And no one objected to the candidacy of state Sen. Sam McCann. The Plainview Republican jumped into the race last week — and his inclusion is likely to siphon votes from Rauner. McCann’s bid is welcomed by Democrat J.B. Pritzker’s campaign as another way to widen the conservative divide seen during a rough March primary.

McCann, who is running as the “Conservative Party” candidate, delivered more than 60,000 signatures to the Illinois State Board of Elections in Springfield, according to his campaign. That’s 35,000 more than are required.

And the State Board of Elections on Monday said there were no objections filed to McCann’s petitions. Spokesman Matt Dietrich also said no objections were filed against Libertarian candidate “Kash” Jackson.

Libertarians filed nearly 48,000 signatures for a slate that included Jackson for governor and other candidates for statewide office — almost double the 25,000 signatures needed to run. Jackson will appear on the ballot as “Jackson, Grayson Kash formerly known as Benjamin Adam Winderweedle until name changed on Aug. 29, 2017.”

RELATED: History not on third party candidates’ sides — but will it be on Rauner’s?

Despite the ballot victory, Jackson faces some more serious problems. He’ll need to come up with about $3,000 in child support payments he owes to his ex-wife. Late last month, Lake County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Salvi issued an order stating Jackson would be jailed for six months for contempt of court if he doesn’t pay about half of the $6,067 he owes by Aug. 6, court records show.

“I will come up with the money and pay that,” Jackson told the Sun-Times last week.

Jackson also owes money to his first ex-wife, to whom he was ordered to pay nearly $16,000 in back payments last year — when he spent a few nights in jail for contempt of court, according to the Daily Herald.

Jackson says he has paid “over $100,000” in child support to both women over the years.

Not all the independent or third party candidates are escaping challenges. Objections have been filed against the gubernatorial bids of former Chicago mayoral candidate William “Dock” Walls III, Broadview resident Gregg Moore and South Sider Mary A. Vann-Metcalf.