Malouf set to seek Libertarian nomination for U.S. Senate at annual convention in East Peoria
WOODSTOCK (Heartland Newsfeed via press release) — A former contender for the Republican nomination for a Congressional seat in the outskirts of Chicago is seeking the Libertarian nomination for U.S. Senate, according to a press release Monday.
For most of 2019, Danny Malouf campaigned and petitioned to run in the Republican primary for the 14th Congressional district in hopes to run against Lauren Underwood, the Democrat who was elected to that seat in 2018. In a Facebook post on Nov. 25, Malouf had decided to not file with the Illinois State Board of Elections, despite having enough signatures to make the ballot.
In the post, he stated he was suspending his campaign, hinting at another opportunity which would help best realize the mission statement of his campaign – to set an example doing what it right. He further clarified in the post what he defined was “right” in the post.
Malouf is consistent in his criticism of Big Government intervention and bipartisan failures in Congress, so a shift to a third-party candidacy does not come as a surprise. He stated in a previous video statement:
In my lifetime, I’ve witnessed bipartisan failures…that have led to the endless regime changes wars overseas, a $23 trillion national debt, as well as the loss of liberties here at home.
“Not much will change by running as a Libertarian,” Malouf stated, regarding his new campaign. “I’m proud to have been very transparent and consistent in pushing for liberty and limited government as part of the Republican race. In this campaign, I will focus on the importance of shrinking federal spending, bringing our troops home, ending domestic spying programs, and pushing for individual freedom – all of the time.”
When commenting on the Constitution, he stated, “The Federal government’s role is limited by the Constitution, and I intend to uphold my oath of office by ‘supporting and defending’ that idea, something that Dick Durbin has not upheld since he entered Congress in 1983.”
Some of the key issues Malouf seeks to focus on include ending the war on drugs, ending all taxpayer-funded foreign aid and auditing the Federal Reserve System as an attempt to bring transparency to America’s monetary policies.
Roughly 100 state delegates from across the Land of Lincoln will elect the nominee at the upcoming Libertarian Party of Illinois state convention, slated for March 13-14 in East Peoria. The nominee will have to file upwards of 50,000 valid petition signatures or more — at minimum, twice the minimum threshold set for new political parties and independents and also ten times the threshold set for the Democratic and Republican party candidates.
The nominee will, upon completion of a successful ballot access petitioning campaign, will face off in the November general election against the winner of the five-way Republican primary, Durbin and potentially, an independent run from former Chicago mayoral candidate and businessman Willie Wilson. The Republican primary will have Casey Chlebek, Mark Curran, Peggy Hubbard, Robert Marshall and Tom Tarter facing off for the party’s nomination in the primary, while Durbin is uncontested in his primary.
A 5 percent vote in November at the state level can secure major party status for the Libertarian Party. Currently, McLean County and Kankakee County have county-level major party status and will be holding their party primary on March 17. The statewide petitioning campaign begins one week later on March 24.
Malouf is a human resources manager and volunteer youth wrestling coach who lives in McHenry County.
Media inquiries may be forwarded to campaign director John Mathey by calling (815) 762-3520 or by emailing contact@danny2020.com.
Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
