A candidate who previously included the Nazi salute in his ballot name in Indiana is now running for governor in Illinois.
In response, the Democratic and Republican Parties of Illinois filed petitions Tuesday objecting to candidate Richard Mayers’ nomination.
Here’s what we know about Mayers and his gubernatorial run.
Who is Richard Mayers?
Mayers has a long history of trying his hand at politics – with little to no success.
In February, Mayers was removed from the ballot for the First District of Indiana after failing to appear for the hearing challenging his candidacy, according to the Indiana-based Post-Tribune.
Lake County Republican Party Chairman Randy Niemeyer said he filed the challenge because Mayers didn’t have a record of voting in primary elections in Indiana, which violated Indiana code.
Mayers also listed his ballot name as “Richard Benedict (Sieg Heil) Mayers,” according to election records, which Niemeyer said was an attempt at electioneering and marketing.
Mayers similarly attempted to run for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District as part of the Democratic primary in 2002, but was removed from the ballot after failing to get enough nominating petition signatures, the Post-Tribune reported.
Before that, he ran in the 3rd District Democratic primary in 2000, but was challenged for three constitutional amendments he filed in Cook County. The amendments sought to ban interracial marriage, prohibit the abortion of “healthy white babies” and send Black prisoners “back to western Africa,” according to the Chicago Tribune.
“Some of my views are controversial,” Mayers reportedly told the Evanston Review at the time. “But I think I could do good in some places. There could be some people that wouldn’t like me, but that’s the nature of politics.”
Mayers similarly attempted to run for office in Alaska in 2024, as well as in Illinois in 2009, 2007, 1998 and 1993.
He is now running for governor in Illinois, filing his candidacy on May 26 under the name Richard Benedict (Sieg Heil) Mayers once again.
Mayers’ address is registered near Chicago’s Midway Airport, with his party listed as the independent “Germanic Aryan Supremacy Smokers, Gamblers” party, according to a copy of Mayers’ statement of candidacy provided by the Democratic Party of Illinois.
Illinois lawmakers challenge ‘Nazi’ candidate
Illinois Democratic Party Executive Director Ben Hardin filed a petition Tuesday morning objecting to Mayer’s nomination papers, calling him an “antisemite and racist” in a press release.
“While Richard Mayers is a perennial loser with an incoherent ideology, the Democratic Party of Illinois is committed to standing against the hate, racism and antisemitism that he represents whenever and wherever it surfaces,” Hardin said. “A candidate who nicknames himself a Nazi salute should never have his name on a ballot. Illinois Democrats not only say we reject antisemitism, but are committed to doing the work to root it out.”
Hardin claimed in his petition that Mayers’ nomination papers did not contain the 25,000 signatures required for new political party candidates by the Illinois Election Code, rendering them invalid.
Later Tuesday, Illinois Republican Party Chair Robert Grogan filed a similar objection to Mayer’s nomination.
“I would hope that in today’s society, these people wouldn’t pop their heads out, but when they do, everyone should condemn them,” Grogan said in a statement to the Peoria Journal Star. “We unequivocally condemn these disgusting groups. It’s a no-brainer to fight against Nazi’s.”
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Man running for Illinois governor includes Nazi salute in ballot name
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Hannah Hudnall, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
