There are moments in life when you realize that the work you’ve been doing has prepared you for something bigger.
For me, this is one of those moments.
Today, I’m officially announcing that I am running as a write-in candidate for governor of Illinois.
This decision didn’t happen overnight. It came after years of feeling politically homeless, conversations with family and friends, and countless discussions with people across our state who feel increasingly disconnected from a political system that seems more interested in serving parties than serving people.
It also follows another significant decision. Recently, I stepped down from the Solidarity Party’s national leadership team so I could devote my full attention to building our movement here in Illinois. I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served nationally, but I believe the greatest impact I can make right now is here at home.
Why I’m Running
Illinois deserves better than politics as usual.
For far too long, we’ve been told that we have to choose between values that should never be in conflict. We’re told we must choose between protecting human life or pursuing social justice, between supporting workers or encouraging economic growth, between strengthening families or expanding opportunity.
I reject that false choice.
We can build an Illinois where every human life is valued, every worker is respected, every family has the opportunity to thrive, and every community is given the chance to flourish.
That’s the vision behind this campaign.
A Different Kind of Politics
Our political culture has become increasingly defined by division. Every election seems to ask us to fear our neighbors more than to understand them.
There’s a better way.
The politics of solidarity begins with a simple conviction: every person possesses inherent dignity, and our public institutions should reflect that truth.
This campaign is rooted in bringing people together across political, geographic, and cultural divides. It’s for people who feel politically homeless. It’s for those who are tired of voting against their conscience because they don’t believe they have another option.
It’s for Illinoisans who still believe government can serve the common good.
Breaking the Cycle
For decades, our state has been trapped in an exhausting political cycle.
One party has consolidated enormous power while often advancing policies that many families believe ignore fundamental moral questions.
The other frequently speaks to legitimate frustrations but too often leaves behind working families, struggling rural communities, and neighborhoods that have been overlooked for generations.
Meanwhile, Springfield’s culture of insider politics, fiscal dysfunction, and political maneuvering continues, regardless of who holds office.
The people of Illinois deserve more than that.
They deserve leaders who are willing to listen before they lecture, serve before they seek power, and govern with integrity instead of ideology.
Our Priorities
This campaign is built around four guiding principles:
Real Support for Working Families through policies that make it easier to raise children, own a home, and earn a dignified living.
A Consistent Ethic of Life that recognizes the inherent dignity of every human being at every stage of life.
Revitalizing Local Communities by empowering neighborhoods, small businesses, family farms, and local institutions instead of concentrating power farther away.
Government Integrity and Responsible Stewardship that restores public trust through transparency, accountability, and responsible management of taxpayer resources.
These aren’t simply campaign talking points. They’re principles that have guided my work for years, and they’ll continue to guide this campaign.
This Is a Grassroots Movement
No political movement succeeds because of one candidate. It succeeds because ordinary people decide that the future of their communities is worth investing in.
That’s the kind of campaign we’re building.
Over the coming months, we’ll be traveling across Illinois, hosting events, meeting with voters, organizing local gatherings, and listening far more than we speak.
If you’d like to volunteer, host a meetup, or become involved in the campaign, I’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re in Chicago, the suburbs, central Illinois, or one of our many rural communities, there’s a place for you in this movement.
We’re also preparing additional announcements in the weeks ahead, including exciting news about other candidates and opportunities to expand our work throughout the state.
Building More Than a Campaign
One of my greatest hopes is that this campaign becomes part of something larger.
Through Unorthodoxing, we’re building a community of thoughtful conversations, independent writers, and principled voices committed to exploring politics through the lens of the common good rather than partisan talking points.
I’m especially excited to welcome contributors from across the country who are helping broaden that conversation with fresh perspectives and thoughtful analysis.
If you’re a writer, researcher, podcaster, or creator who shares that vision, I’d love to connect.
The future of healthy political discourse won’t be built by algorithms or cable news. It will be built by people willing to engage honestly, thoughtfully, and respectfully with one another.
Join Us
This campaign is ultimately about hope. Hope that Illinois can once again become a place where families flourish. Hope that our politics can be rooted in dignity instead of division. Hope that we can build a government worthy of the people it serves.
If this vision resonates with you, I invite you to join us. Volunteer. Share our message. Tell your friends.
Most importantly, stay engaged. Together, we can build an Illinois that truly reflects the values of life, justice, solidarity, and the common good.
Thank you for being part of this journey. We’re just getting started.
