Mark Zalcman

Zalcman rescinds bid for Schock’s seat.

Bloomington lawyer, Mark Zalcman, has rescinded his bid for the 18th Congressional seat, formerly occupied by Republican Senator Aaron Schock.   Governor Rauner gave 19 days for candidates to procure 1,000 petition signatures, a task too great for Zalcman’s campaign.

In a release on April 13, Zalcman wrote, “I believe this was done purposely by the Governor to insure that Darin LaHood would not have to face any grassroots opposition in the campaign.”

“This is also the type insider advantage Governor Rauner campaigned against in 2014.  He even accused his Republican opponents and detractors as being ‘Pat Quinn-lites.’  The Governor’s setting the special election time table for signatures in the manner he did suggests that his campaign promise to end insider advantage was a hollow one,” wrote Zalcman.

This is not the first time Zalcman has been forced to withdraw his candidacy.  Making a bid for State House Republican David Leitch’s seat in 2014, Zalcman was removed from the ballot due to a lack of petition signatures.

Confident that he will gain the required number of signatures for the March 2016 primary, Zalcman has committed to run for the same seat next year writing, “I will now focus my efforts on running in the upcoming March primary for the same seat.  I will have 12 weeks, starting in September, to gain ballot access for the 2016 election.”
Remaining contenders for the 18th Congressional District special election are Republican State Sen. Darin LaHood (R) and Springfield Democrat Adam Lopez.