Democratic ward committeemen on Chicago's West Side, including Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, plan to create a third political party in the state's 10th House District in order to challenge State Rep. Derrick Smith, who faces federal bribery charges. Smith has not followed the wishes of Democrats like White, his political mentor, to step down.

Dubbed the Unity Party, a 3rd party would let those who voted Democratic in the March primary to run under the Unity label. Lance Tyson, a municipal bond lawyer and a former chief of staff to then-Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, announced Sunday that he would challenge Smith, and is open to running as a third-party candidate.