The U.S. Presidential election fires up in full force in Illinois today. As of noon today, 11 of the 17 presidential candidates have filed petitions in the state for the March 17th primary. President Donald Trump is the lone Republican to file. Former Illinois Representative Joe Walsh and former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld have yet to file to challenge on the GOP side. Jamie Munks of the Chicago Tribune reported that President Trump’s campaign were the first people in line at the Illinois State Board of Elections location in Springfield at 8 o’clock this morning.
On the Democrat side of the ticket, 10 of the 14 remaining candidates have filed in Illinois. Those include Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, former Vice President Joe Biden, millionaire philanthropist Andrew Yang, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, billionaire Tom Steyer, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick.
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard, self-help/New Age author and lecturer Marianne Williamson, and former Maryland Congressman John Delaney have all not filed. They have until tomorrow to gain ballot access for the March primary.