Steve Funk, Libertarian candidate for 18th District Illinois State Representative, submitted over 3,300 petition signatures to the State Board of Elections in Springfield today seeking a place on the fall election ballot challenging State Rep. Robyn Gabel.
Steve Funk, Libertarian candidate for 18th District Illinois State Representative, submitted over 3,300 petition signatures to the State Board of Elections in Springfield today seeking a place on the fall election ballot challenging State Rep. Robyn Gabel.
Funk topped the 2,561 signatures required of independent and “new party” candidates, but its likely to face challenges to the validity of his signatures from Democratic party activists that still could keep him off the Nov. 2 ballot.
“While petitioning throughout our district over the past three months, thousands of voters told me they were eager for sensible solutions, constructive debate, and independent representation,” Funk, a seven-year resident of Evanston, said.
“My campaign will focus on common sense problem-solving, free from the influence of entrenched special interests and establishment party politics,” he added. “Let’s restore fiscal stability, enhance personal freedoms, rebuild our economy, and usher in a new era of prosperity for Illinois.”
Gabel faces no Republican or Green party opposition in the November race.
Let’s hope Funk gets on the ballot
It would be nice to have a choice for the 18th District Representative seat where the unelected and so far unopposed Democrat candidate now sits and makes legislative decisions.
Funk worked hard to collect enough signatures to give voters a choice. I sure hope the Democratic party doesn’t expound a lot of energy and money trying to challenge the signatures. Let’s keep the Democrat candidate Robyn Gabel honest and give her a challenge – let her debate the issues with Funk. If the Democrats keep Funk off the ballot the democratic process would have failed and Gabel will waltz in unopposed and unchallenged. Nobody wins.
Gabel says she wants to raise income taxes on businesses and individuals. Funk does not want to raise taxes.
The choice, if we get one, is simple for me.
Steve Funk for 18th District Representative
Democrats – Let Funk run
As a Democrat, I’d be very disappointed if my party worked to keep Steve Funk off the ballot. Our democracy is based on open discussion and debate. We all lose if Representative Gabel doesn’t face a challenger.
Let’s see if the Democrats truly stand for choice
Let’s see how fair-minded the Democratic party really is. Will they stand for choice in November, or will they stand for clubbish, insider business as usual?
Will they use their massive funding and legal clout to swat Steve Funk aside, or will they allow the voters of the 18th District to have a say?
Will they allow a true independent–who has received not one penny from any union or corporation–to join the discussion on the issues that matter to Illinois, or will they muzzle one of the few voices that’s posing serious and important questions?
Funk needs to follow the law
If Funk has submitted petitions with invalid signatures, he has no right to be on the ballot. Democratic activists have every right to challenge invalid signatures.
No free lunch
Let’s see if Republicans really stand for being "a nation of laws" or if instead they cry that their preferred candidate and only hope should get electoral amnesty.
There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch. Elections cost taxpayers money. They are fundamental cornerstones of democracy, not some circus for every Tom, Dick, and Harry to trumpet their belief system. If you don’t meet a certain standard of support your ideas aren’t worth the ink to print on the ballot. Don’t waste my time.
Where was all this sympathy when Ms. Gabel turned her ballots in? I don’t remember anyone saying "gee, I hope her opponents don’t try to knock her off." And you can believe her petitions were examined. You can believe they all were. Now there is a double-standard under the guise of "fairness."
If Mr. Funk wanted a free pass to the general election he could have run in the Republican Primary. If he wanted to collect fewer signatures and participate in debates he should have run in the Democratic Primary. If the Libertarian Party wants easier access they should consider becoming an established party. The Greens are. Then again they worked for it.
Elections cost taxpayer money?!
Elections cost taxpayer money? Hah! That’s about the only time I’ve heard a liberal complain about government spending. Actually, there was another event in recent history. When the liberals successfully killed the Illinois constitutional convention, the official excuse was that it was a waste of taxpayer money. Funny how liberals are only concerned about the expenditure of taxpayer money when it comes to the exercise of our constitutional rights and democratic processes. I’m sure Comrade Stalin or Chairman Mao would have agreed that elections are a waste of the People’s money and time.
The unelected Democrat Gabel got a free lunch
Steve Funk collected about 3,300 names and needed 2,500. So if 800 or more names are bogus – i.e. dead people – then sure, Funk shouldn’t get on the ballot.
But here in Illinois it can get down right dirty. The Democrats can challenge and possibly eliminate a name on the petition if the signature is in the wrong column. Everything on the ballot has to be exactly in the right place – it isn’t just about the validity of the name itself.
If the Democrats wanted, they can pursue this with laser-like focus and hire lawyers to challenge every crossed "t" and dotted "i." Also, consider that the Democrat party has total control of local politics and have their tentacles everywhere, if you know what I mean.
I saw and met Funk – he seems a straight up guy and went out and collected names, canvassed the neighborhood and talked to the folks. So if he’s eliminated from the ballot because signatures are in the wrong column or someone can’t read a number or letter or whatever then that’s wrong and has nothing to do with having a free lunch.
Gabel, the Democrat nominee on the ballot, legislates as our state Representative yet she was not elected to the seat. Since when does someone get to become a state legislator without being elected?
Talk about free lunches.
Anonymous Al asks :
Anonymous Al asks :
"Since when does someone get to become a state legislator without being elected?"
The answer is quite simple, Al. When a seat is vacant, a replacement can be appointment. That is how someone can become a state legislator ( or Vice President like Gerald Ford, or senator like Roland Burris ) without being elected.
And another thing,
Gabel was appointed AFTER winning a very competitive primary…so I don’t see how you can call it a ‘free lunch’.
The voters have spoken, Al, in the Democratic primary. The fact that the Republicans are unable or unwilling to produce a candidate pretty much makes this the de facto election – just like the Republican primary in Utah or South Carolina pretty much picks the general election winner.
Good Luck Steve
Go get ‘em Steve!
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/
The Democrats have nothing to do with this
All these accusations that the "Democratic Party" will challenge Funk are unfounded. If Funk is challenged, it will be by Robyn Gabel’s campaign. Candidates do the challenging, not parties.
Furthermore, to blame the Democrats for something that hasn’t even occurred yet is ridiculous. No challenges have been issued, so why speculate about what the "Democrats" might do?
Instead of bickering back and forth about what might happen, we should let the candidates debate the issues and let the voters decide who they want.
Democrats make the first move to challenge Funk’s petition
I just got an email from Steve Funk who said a General Assembly Democrat House staff member Tuesday morning requested a copy of his petitions for review.
Also, Mr. Funk is asking for pro bono legal help to meet the expected challenge from the Democrat party machine, which has a vast amount of resources. Steve Funk and volunteers went out every day for the past three months to collect signatures.
BTW-Gabel was appointed to sit in the 18th District seat she is running for after the current 18th District Rep. Julie Hamos stepped down to take a $100,000 state government job. Hamos lost a primary election for a seat once held by Mark Kirk and decided not to finish out the term as the 18th District Representative.
So Gabel running for the seat was picked to sit in it. How convenient.
Almost immediately Gabel announced she supports a tax increase for businesses and individuals. It’s pretty easy to campaign for a tax hike when you have no opponents.
As to why the Republicans didn’t field a candidate, I have no idea and certainly voters are the losers because right now they have no choice in the general election. And these are times when choices are greatly needed.
Voters had and have a choice
Al, you are just not making sense..as usual.
Voters had a choice. There were three serious candidates ( Gabel, or Keenan-Devlin, or Kelly ) in the race…four if you count Moran, who didn’t seem to be trying too hard.
Anyone (including you, Al) could have filed as a Republican. Why didn’t anybody? If you are so concerned, Al, why didn’t you? Are Republicans just lazy? If the Republican party organization isn’t competent enough to field a candidate, why do you think that they are competent enough to run the government?
A serious candidate would have no problem getting on the ballot – even if signatures are challenged. And more importantly, Al , you need to stop blaming Democrats for all of the ills of the world. Right wingers are always talking about personal responsibility and pulling yourself up and all that Horatio Alger stuff – but they never seem to practice it. Stop blaming others and the government for your problems, Al. You need to work harder and think outside the box and give 110%, because the early bird gets the worm and there is no ‘I’ in TEAM and a winner never quits and a quitter never wins.