A new challenger has thrown his hat into the ring for the 37th District State Senate.
Marcus Throneburg of Kewanee has filed paperwork with the Illinois State Board of Elections to run as an independent in the November general election to replace Chuck Weaver who’s retiring.
When Weaver made his announcement last month he gave his support to Peoria businessman, Win Stoller, a Republican, to replace him.
The 37th District has long been reliably Republican, with the seat being held by Republicans Darin LaHood and Dale Risinger before Weaver.
Throneburg is registered as an independent under elections rules, but his website says he identifies with The Alliance Party.
Running as an independent is somewhat rare for a reason; it comes with a steeper climb from the outset.
Republican and Democratic candidates vying for state senator need 1,000 signatures from their own party.
Independents have to collect 5 percent of the number of district voters that voted in the last general election, around 4,500.
Throneburg calls for a third party that’s an “alternative for moderate voters and forces the established parties to pull back from their extremes.”
Throneburg writes on his Facebook page he would welcome a Democrat to the race, even if it makes his campaign more difficult because he supports “voters having choices.”
