State Senator Daniel Biss, a candidate for the democratic nomination in the 2018 gubernatorial race, has failed to get Senate approval for a plan to provide taxpayer funds to match small contributions to political candidates.

The proposal called for contributions of $25 to $150 be matched by six times that amount in public funds.

Biss is vying for that nomination against two independently wealthy candidates: Chris Kennedy and J.B. Pritzker. He is running as a candidate reliant on small-dollar gifts.

Republicans criticized the plan because the state is billions of dollars in debt.

The measure failed by one vote.