Dold, Schneider File Petitions for 2014 Rematch

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) and former Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) set the stage for a rematch of their narrow 2012 general election race next year when they filed petitions today for their respective party’s nomination in the March 18 primary.

Dold filed his petitions at 8 a.m. and a Schneider representative did the same approximately two hours later, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections website. No other contenders filed petitions today in the contest.

Schneider gathered signatures from nearly 2,200 residents in all 419 precincts of the District, according to a spokesperson for the campaign. No candidate has ever filed petitions with signatures from all precincts in an Illinois Congressional race. “If somebody’s done it before it’s news to us,” the spokesperson said.

“This is a huge show of the support behind Brad (Schneider) and is also a clear indicator of the campaign's continuing strong grassroots organization and ground work,” the spokesperson said. “The Schneider campaign amassed a superior grassroots organization and today's petition signature submissions show the campaign is continuing to build upon this winning strategy.” 

Dold, standing in line in Springfield to file his petitions, let his supporters know what he was doing with a Tweet. “I’m in line in Springfield to file my nomination petitions,” he said on Twitter. “Thanks to everyone who nominated me for Congress.” 

Though the Dold campaign did not report the number of signatures collected, he too was happy with the diversity of the effort. “Residents from every corner of the 10th District joined me as signatories on the petitions required to appear as a candidate for Congress,” he said. 

Schneider defeated Dold last year in a narrow race after Dold won the seat in a close contest in 2010 over Dan Seals on a campaign for the seat formerly held by now Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park).