By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Despite having to push through a potentially crowded primary field, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy says Illinoisans need a statewide Republican to bring balance.

Twenty-two candidates that have filed to get their party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Springfield Democrat Dick Durbin. Petition objections are being considered for six of the 14 Democrats running. Two of the eight Republican candidates face petition objections.

Tracy, despite being the former chairman of state’s GOP, said he wasn’t going to let his guard down.

“The primary is March 17th and right now, it looks good for us, but things can change,” Tracy told The Center Square. “So we’re taking nothing for granted. We’re campaigning hard to win the March primary.”

Illinois hasn’t had a statewide Republican officeholder since former Gov. Bruce Rauner. Tracy said that needs to change.

“We need to make this a two party state again,” he said “And the way to start that is by electing an Illinois Republican, for this open US Senate seat. And that would be me.”

Among the other Republicans running for the nomination are Casey Chlebek, Cary Capparelli, Pamela Denise Long, Jimmy Lee Tillman and Jeannie Evans. Petitions for CaSándra Claiborne and John Goodman have challenges pending.

Illinois U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, who is one of 14 Democrats that have filed for the party’s March primary, told ABC the recent federal government shutdown was “worth it.”

“I think the shutdown was worth it. I’m very, very disappointed in the bill that came over,” Kelly said. “You know, I voted no. I would have voted no in the Senate.”

Tracy said Democrats in the U.S. Senate abused the filibuster to shut down the government.

“The filibuster should not be used by a minority party to try to get their way that they can’t get by voting or by negotiation and holding the hostage government and costing the economy and stranding travelers and cutting off food stamps and all the other damage that the shutdown did,” he said.

The midterm election is Nov. 3.