I put it into gear and it dies.

If you get ALL THE WAY to the switch and still no power, here's what "I" would do I would find power and verify it coming INTO the switch. At that point, DISCONNECT the battery. Then jump that power wire TO the run circuit wire and check with the meter continuity AT the ballast IN connector. If you have continuity there, check at the ballast OUT. Understand if you're checking with ohms, your reading will be LESS at the ballast out. if you get "something" at the ballast out, then check it at coil positive. You should have real close to the same that you got at the ballast out. All this with the battery DISCONNECTED as you're checking resistance, not voltage. If you get the same or about the same resistance at the coil as ballast out, you've pretty much verified a bad ignition switch and verified the wiring between it and the coil is good.