Independent Primary Gubernatorial Candidate Collin Corbett visits Illinois State University

NORMAL, Ill. – As elections draw nearer, it becomes all the more important for candidates to hit the road and begin their campaign tour. Independent Primary Gubernatorial Candidate Collin Corbett is no different, making a stop on Illinois State University’s campus after a trip to Springfield, the state’s capital.

Corbett has been involved in politics for 20 years, but mostly stuck to the logistics of the business rather than running himself. Cor Strategies, a business that helps run and train candidates for political campaigns, is one of Corbett’s own creations and a segue into running himself.

“That’s what I’ve spent the last 20 years doing, helping people get engaged, helping them run, helping them get involved, speaking to young people and encouraging them to get involved. It really has been my passion,” Corbett said. “I never thought I’d be the candidate,” He added. “My wife and I talked about it and said, well, if they’re not willing to do it, someone has to do it. So here we are. I stepped up and did it.” 

This decision came after Corbett decided he wanted someone to fix the two-party system in the United States, inevitably deciding to put the task in his own hands. The campaign road has already brought challenges for Independent Corbett, who faced a lawsuit from Republican Primary Candidate Darren Bailey.

Corbett spoke about what it is like to come into an election against a tenured billionaire, in J.B. Pritzker and two-time republican primary candidate Darren Bailey.  All while being a self-described “normal guy.” 

“We need people to focus on the long term of our politics. I know I’m running in this election, and I’m giving it everything I’ve got. But I also know beating a billionaire governor in November is very unlikely, and I can understand that. I can do that math,” Corbett said. “We have got to create a space where common sense wins, where mainstream has the loudest voice in our politics, and that’s only going to happen if we can create different options for people. It isn’t following the two extremes on the right and on the left, and that starts in this election.”

Corbett was also asked about ISU and its importance during election season. Corbett said he wants college to be both more aforadable and more marketable for the job field after graduation.

“We’ve got to make it less expensive to go to college in the state. It’s one of the most expensive states for in-state tuition costs for families, let alone out-of-state. We’ve got to lower that cost,” Corbett expanaded on affordablity as a whole. “You ask families, they’ll tell you it’s it’s too expensive in Illinois. You ask small businesses or farmers or manufacturers, they’ll tell you it’s too expensive in Illinois. It’s just a common problem throughout the whole state. And so one of our major major focuses is on making the state more affordable.”

Corbett also stressed his relatablility as canidate, stating he is running agains a millionare and a billionare of which he is niether. He also spoke of age, as Pritzker is now 61 and Bailey is 60, whearas Corbett is only 40.

“If you want somebody leading your state who actually remembers the problems that you faced, who’s closer to your age than the two candidates who are in their 60s and you want somebody who actually recognizes and respects the cost of what it takes to survive in this state. Then I really am your only option, and I do want to make life more affordable, and I want to make sure this state is one where you all at this college and all of our colleges could put down your roots and succeed.”

Corbett added that Illinois currently ranks 46th in GDP growth since J.B. Pritzker took office, 45th in job growth and 39th in income growth. When Corbett spoke about policy he primarily focused on political reform both aming canidates and policy.

“We’ve got to reform the system here in the state, and that’s not going to happen under these two political parties who have had decades to do it and haven’t done it. We need independent leadership that isn’t beholden to special interests or party bosses because that’s the only way we’re going to fix this system.”

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