Collin Corbett officially launches run as Independent candidate for governor

Collin Corbett launched a mainstream, Independent movement in Illinois on May 27, 2026, officially announcing his campaign for governor alongside running mate and candidate for lieutenant governor, Carolyn Schofield, campaign chairman and former Illinois Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Lou Sandoval, family, and supporters.

“Illinois has massive potential, yet we feel so stuck,” Corbett noted. “Our political system is broken and it’s grinding Illinois to a halt. Instead of solving problems, it pits us against each other and rewards the most extreme voices instead of the smartest solutions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. It’s time to put everyday Illinoisans back in charge.”

Corbett and Schofield are “everyday Illinoisans—people who know the price of groceries and the weight of a mortgage, not millionaires or billionaires. Leaders who care about the people of Illinois and have empathy for the challenges families face because they have faced the same challenges,” an official distributed announcement further shared.

“We need to move beyond left versus right and start focusing on right versus wrong,” Corbett added. “Our Independent movement makes that possible in Illinois. We will deliver common sense solutions that make people’s lives better. We’ll make life more affordable, because working families shouldn’t have to struggle just to get by, we’ll get Illinois growing again, because we need to make Illinois open for business, and we’ll reform our broken political and government systems.”

The press conference was held outside the former Arlington Park site, a potential future home of the Chicago Bears. The Arlington Park location is personal to Corbett, where he and his wife got married and where his dad was a jockey. It’s also a picture of Illinois’ past struggles and future potential.

“Together, we can make Illinois affordable and build a state where every Illinoisan has a chance to get ahead. Illinois is a land of innovation and opportunity. We should be the capital of the Midwest,” Corbett concluded. “Illinois is ready to grow again. It’s time to bring back hope.”

Video of the press conference is available for media here.

About Collin Corbett

Collin Corbett is an Independent, political strategist, and small business owner who has spent his career empowering everyday people to get involved in moving their communities forward. Over the past two decades, he has recruited and trained more than 3,500 everyday people and founded companies that helped advance nearly 1,200 organizations and campaigns across the country. Corbett says he cares about the people of Illinois and has empathy for the challenges families face because he has faced the same challenges. He and his wife, Abbey, live in Palatine with their toddler, Theodore Rex (T Rex), and their rescue dog, Dustin.