PLAINVIEW – Downstate independent Conservative Party candidate Sam McCann released his first ad this week, playing heavily on Fox News in the Chicago area suburbs as well as other locations statewide.
McCann, who says in the ad that he's the only conservative running for governor, has a voting record during his time in the Illinois Senate that upholds conservative social positions while supporting his Springfield-based districts' state employees and other unions.
His major contributors for his gubernatorial race have been political action funds tied to the midwest operating engineers union – UIUE Local 150. Although the UIUE Local 150 has officially endorsed Democrat JB Pritzker, their connected 527 called the Fight Back Fund is backing McCann with over $300,000 thus far. In addition, the DC-based Engineer Political Education Fund has contributed over $500,000. Very few individuals are reported on the State Board of Elections site as having contributed directly to McCann's gubernatorial bid.
In most recent surveys, McCann is showing at 4 percent.
McCann's ad:
How he's paying for the ads: