Cedra Crenshaw, a Republican supporter of the Tea Party, is running for Illinois state Senate for the 43rd District. But her candidacy was challenged on a technicality - Crenshaw's outdated nominating petition forms stated signatures could be collected no earlier than 90 days before the filing deadline, but a new law mandates signatures can be collected no earlier than 75 days before the deadline.
The Will County Electoral Board voted 2-to-1 down party lines to remove her from the ballot, a move that Crenshaw said was racist on the part of the Democrats.
"In essence, they are trying to disenfranchise the voters of the 43rd district," Crenshaw said in a radio podcast. "This goes far beyond me. The Will County Board of Elections waited over six weeks to render this decision on a technicality."
Crenshaw is running in an attempt to unseat Democratic state Sen. A.J. Wilhemi. She is appealing the board's decision and a judge will hear arguments Tuesday.
Speculation about whether racism is actually the root of the issue continues to fly back and forth. Crenshaw's supporters say Democrats don't want to see the black stay-at-home mom succeed; others who disagree with the racism claim say it's simply because Crenshaw is a Republican, not because she is black.
Since July 1, campaign committees controlled by Democrats gave $447,769 to Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi, who's worried about losing his normally safe 43rd District seat to Republican Cedra Crenshaw, a tea party favorite. Republican committees have given Crenshaw $122,789 in the same period.