Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White will run uncontested in the Democratic primary after state Sen. Michael Hastings dropped out of the race.

In a joint statement Wednesday, White said he’s named Hastings honorary co-chair of his re-election committee and the two will work together.

Hastings had filed petitions to challenge White in the March 20 primary, saying he was going to make sure White was running for a sixth term and hadn’t made a final decision. He has since withdrawn them.

In the Wednesday statement, Hastings says he’s proud to join White’s campaign.

White first won office in 1998 and has easily won re-election since.

In November, he’ll face Republican Jason Helland, who’s the state’s attorney in Grundy County.