Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner

Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner announced Sunday he is considering running for Illinois governor as a Republican in 2026, adding that he expects a final decision by the end of the month.

“If I can gather 10,000 signatures and raise $500,000 by then, I’m all in,” Gartner wrote in a Facebook post addressed “To my Antioch family.”

“I'm not a millionaire or billionaire — but maybe that's exactly what we need: someone who understands the struggles of everyday people and isn’t beholden to special interests,” he added.

He would join a field of GOP hopefuls that includes conservative activist Ted Dabrowski of Wilmette, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, and former congressional hopeful Joe Severino of Lake Forest.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking a third term.

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