Embattled lawmaker faces grassroots write-in opponent
[September 24, 2026]
By Sean Reed | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – An embattled lawmaker who will appear on the
ballot unopposed in November has a new challenger entering the
statehouse race as a grassroots write-in candidate.
A Champaign businessman, Keith Smith, launched a write-in campaign for
state representative in the 103rd House District, running against Rep.
Carol Ammons, D-Champaign.
Smith explained his goal running as a write-in candidate against the
otherwise unopposed Ammons to The Center Square.
“I think the people deserve a choice. And you know, I'm not a career
politician. I'm not planning to be a career politician, but I think I'd
bring a fresh perspective to the role. Someone that can look at things
through an average citizen's eyes,” Smith said.
Ammons and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, were
federally indicted in early July for wire fraud and witness tampering
related to a kickback scheme the lawmaker is alleged to have conducted
by directing state funds to nonprofits employing her daughter.
Smith said he won’t be campaigning on those ongoing proceedings, citing
the lawmaker’s presumed innocence.
“I don't have any first hand knowledge of the situation. I mean, I think
it's concerning anytime a public servant is in a situation like this and
I just feel like it's inappropriate for me to comment and I'll wait
until it concludes,” Smith said.
He said while he is a registered Democrat, his politics aren’t solely
along partisan lines, and he’d bring with him a willingness to work
across the aisle, especially on fiscal measures.
“I'm conservative when it comes to things like how you spend money and
on defense and subjects of that nature. I'm very much a liberal when it
comes to human rights, women's reproductive rights,” Smith said.
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Illinois state Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, speaks with reporters.
Photo: Greg Bishop / The Center Square
Especially in recent years, the Republican Caucus in the Illinois
House has made it a point to ask be included in annual budget
negotiations and to have some of its fiscally conservative
alternatives to Democrat’s plans be considered.
While he noted he’d support progressive revenue reforms in an
attempt to lower property taxes statewide, he said he feels the tax
system in the state as a whole needs to be reevaluated.
“In my mind, it's not fair that a teacher or fireman pays the same
rate of tax that a millionaire does. I think we need to look at our
sources for revenue, possibly some type of property tax reform. You
know, we've got the highest property taxes in the country between us
and New Jersey,” the businessman said.
The campaign of Carol Ammons didn’t respond to a request for comment
on her new opponent.
The Ammons campaign reported $10,225 in expenditures between April
and the end of June, with a total of $58,141 in-hand at the end of
the last filing period.
Smith noted he’s running a grassroots campaign, and he doesn’t plan
to take contributions from groups he’d “owe an obligation to.”
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