South Cook News

Christine Shanahan McGovern has officially announced her 2026 campaign for Illinois State Senate District 18, marking her third run for public office in as many election cycles.

Framing the race as a referendum on corruption, high taxes, and progressive state leadership, McGovern said her goal is not only to win but also to “expose what’s going on in Springfield.”

“We live in the most corrupt state that money can buy,” McGovern said in a social media post announcing her candidacy.

This will be McGovern’s second campaign for the District 18 Senate seat. She lost to Democratic incumbent Bill Cunningham in 2022, receiving 40.6% of the vote. 

In 2024, she ran for Illinois House District 36 but lost to Democrat Rick Ryan with 40.8%.

Despite those losses, McGovern, a Mount Greenwood resident for three decades, said her campaigns are part of a long-term effort to educate voters and change Illinois politics.

“In 2024, that’s why I ran — to keep my name out there and to build more rapport and get our voters educated as to what’s going on,” she told South Cook News.

Her campaign focuses on parental rights, school policies, and what she describes as the dangerous overreach of progressive education and health mandates. 

Although District 18 traditionally leans Democratic, McGovern said she believes voters are ready for change and that she is running a grassroots campaign based on “Midwestern values and common sense.”

“Together with common sense, we can save Illinois,” she said.

McGovern’s message to voters is direct: “Are you better off today than you were in 2022? And how much have your taxes gone up? Has your community seen more crime? Are you afraid that when you retire, you won’t be able to afford your health care and living expenses? Are you worried about our future generations? Are you concerned that we have the highest property taxes?”

She said voters are more receptive to her message this cycle.

“The feedback this time is completely different than the other two,” McGovern said. “They are listening and honestly, our governor is helping me a lot because his comments, especially that kindergarten comment, he is out of touch with the middle class and we can't keep doing the same thing over and over and have these elected officials that have been in there for years and expect different things to happen.”

In an Aug. 6 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Gov. J.B. Pritzker defended Illinois’ heavily gerrymandered congressional map by joking, “We handed it over to a Kindergarten class and let them decide.”

Critics like McGovern have called out the hypocrisy of promoting voter fairness while defending a map widely viewed as designed to suppress opposition.

McGovern’s political career began in 2020 as a vocal opponent of school shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a founding member of ReOpen Illinois, she advocated for small businesses affected by government shutdowns and overregulation.

She also highlights concerns about property tax hikes, crime, and policies such as the SAFE-T Act, which eliminated cash bail for most offenses. McGovern supports election transparency and voter roll cleanup through her work with the Parents Matter Coalition.

Drawing from her experience working with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), McGovern opposed student mental health screenings and criticized policies she believes prioritize ideology over child safety.

“These mental health screenings, they're not there to help the kids,” she said. “They're there for profit and to fund the NGOs. And it’s frustrating because people don't understand what is actually happening in the schools.”

McGovern cited a personal experience as a substitute teacher in a CPS school, recalling a second-grade girl who revealed abuse after a classroom discussion on speaking up.

“(She) told me at the end of the day that her stepdad was abusing her,” McGovern said. “It was the most pivotal moment. I could cry right now thinking about it. It was one of the most impactful moments.”

She has also raised concerns about the involvement of private companies like Panorama Education, which she says is linked to “ideological agendas.” Panorama, backed by investors including Facebook and Google, operates in many states and has faced criticism for promoting progressive education topics such as critical race theory.

The company conducts social and emotional learning surveys in schools, asking students sensitive questions about discrimination and emotional well-being, which critics worry about regarding data use and marketing to parents.

Panorama received federal funding during the Biden administration while former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was in office, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.

“(Merrick) is the same man who called parents ‘domestic terrorists,’” McGovern said. “(His) son-in-law is the CEO of Panorama. It's this circle that you can't get away with and you can ignore it anymore.”

Several Illinois school districts have had contracts with Panorama. Plainfield School District 202 reportedly paid $142,000 between 2019 and 2021, raising questions about political ties and data privacy.

Beyond education, McGovern is focused on Illinois’ economic issues. She cites high property taxes, rising gas prices, and a wave of residents leaving the state as signs of systemic failure.

“People are leaving Illinois in droves, and the reason for it is they can't afford it. So, when you have a state that is financing all of our illegal immigrants and prioritizing them over the needs of our Illinois citizens, that's an issue,” she said.

Illinois ranked 48th in the nation for domestic outmigration in 2024, losing more than 56,000 residents, with only California and New York faring worse. Despite population growth driven by international migration, high taxes and poor policy are key drivers of Illinoisans relocating.

Since July 2022, Illinois taxpayers have spent an estimated $2.84 billion on services for illegal immigrants, including over $2 billion on healthcare. Republican lawmakers have criticized state priorities, arguing these funds should support programs for Illinois citizens.

McGovern also criticized Gov. Pritzker’s handling of finances and criminal justice reforms, including the SAFE-T Act.

“(Illinois) is in the top of homicide and then you have a whole other issue of the SAFE-T Act,” McGovern said. “I was very vocal about the SAFE-T — you can go back and read it — and people thought that I was nuts… these past few years, but everything that I have said has been right.”

Critics have pointed to a recent Lake County case where an illegal immigrant was released under the SAFE-T Act despite admitting to hiding a missing woman’s body in his backyard for more than a month. 

José Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez was released 48 hours after his arrest on multiple felonies. ICE later apprehended him after he missed court dates and returned him to jail in Lake County.

Critics like McGovern say releases enabled by the SAFE-T Act reveal flaws in Illinois’ criminal justice system.

As part of her campaign pledge, McGovern said she plans to serve, inform voters, and then step aside for her family.

“My goal is not to be this career politician,” she said. “My goal is to expose what's going on in Springfield, bring it to light, make some changes, and then as soon as my daughters get married and have a baby, I will be a wonderful grandmother.”

Since the petition process began Aug. 5, McGovern said she has already gained significant traction.

“Even though it's only been a week since the petition process started, I can tell you that, compared to the majority of other candidates, I have the most signatures right now,” she said. “I work very hard, especially when I’m passionate about what I believe in.”

She also said her campaign will avoid negativity, especially about her opponent.

“It's time for a change,” McGovern said. “I never say anything negative about Mr. Cunningham as a person, I never will. That's not the type of person I am, but let's focus on the policy.”

Senate District 18 includes Chicago neighborhoods such as Beverly, Mount Greenwood, Morgan Park, and Auburn-Gresham, as well as suburbs including Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, Worth, Chicago Ridge, Palos Heights, and Orland Park.