SPRINGFIELD – There was a lot to unpack at Wednesday’s candidate forum which saw Gov. JB Pritzker and his Republican challenger state Sen. Darren Bailey appear on the same stage, albeit at different times, for the first time this campaign season. For starters, I wrote an article earlier this week fact-checking the governor’s claim that
LEXINGTON – The candidates for Illinois governor faced questioning about their agriculture-related policies Wednesday in an outbuilding on a McLean County farm. Gov. JB Pritzker’s message was one of optimism, billing himself as the state’s “chief marketer.” His challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, a Republican from Xenia, told the room full of farmers that Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Republicans gathered for their annual day at the State Fair on Thursday to showcase their candidates in the Nov. 8 election, vowing that the party will “restore Illinois.” But as the party faithful celebrated amid the sunshine, barbeque sandwiches, corn dogs and other fair staples, questions lingered about how unified the party
SPRINGFIELD — Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey on Tuesday said he’d prioritize eliminating “critical race theory” and “egregious” sex education standards from Illinois schools if elected to replace Gov. JB Pritzker in November, courting a relatively new coalition of voters radicalized during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bailey made those comments to a small rally outside the
One month after staging a primary upset, Republican Darren Bailey is laboring to reel in supporters of a top Republican primary rival and has yet to log a six- or seven-figure campaign contribution in his fall fight against billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker. Compounding Bailey’s struggles, hedge fund billionaire Kenneth Griffin, who put $50 million into
State Sen. Darren Bailey, who gained statewide notoriety challenging Gov. JB Pritzker’s pandemic executive order authority in court, will be the incumbent’s challenger in the November general election. As of about 9 p.m. Tuesday, Bailey had carried over 55 percent of the GOP vote from a field of six candidates, while tallies were unofficial. “Tonight
MENDON, Ill. — Former President Donald Trump spent part of a rally Saturday night for Illinois Republican Congresswoman Mary Miller praising the U.S. Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade. “Your boundless love, sacrifice and devotion has finally been rewarded in full,” Trump said at the rally near Quincy attended by several thousand. “As a
QUINCY – Former President Donald Trump came to west-central Illinois Saturday to deliver his “complete and total endorsement” for state Sen. Darren Bailey, giving the ultraconservative downstate lawmaker gold-plated momentum heading into Tuesday’s six-way gubernatorial primary. Trump also reiterated his stamp of approval for “ultra-MAGA” downstate Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller in her closely watched primary against
MONTICELLO – State Senator Darren Bailey, a leading contender in the Illinois Republican gubernatorial race, is joining former President Trump and U.S. Representative Mary Miller at a rally this Saturday evening, June 25, at the Adams County fairgrounds in Mendon. Bailey is a long-time supporter of Miller. The freshman congresswoman from rural Coles County is
A new poll from the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago radio station WBEZ shows downstate state Sen. Darren Bailey with a 15-point lead on Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin in the GOP governor race, a major reversal with 18 days to go before polls close on Tuesday, June 28. Irvin’s campaign had earlier in the week pulled its downstate
CHICAGO — Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, the Republican with the most money and best polling position so far, served as a political pinata Thursday for his five GOP rivals for Illinois governor during their first public debate with him on the same televised stage. Topics during the hourlong WLS-TV/Illinois League of Women Voters/Univision debate ran
Democratic Illinois Senate candidate Cynthia Given says her Republican opponent spends too much time on divisive politics, and not enough time helping the voters of the 55th District. Hear an interview with Given: (Given’s campaign Facebook page is here. Her Instagram page is here. Given’s campaign website is here.) Given, who operates a massage therapy
State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) says he will continue his court battle against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s use of emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A transcript of an interview with Bailey is at the end of this article. Audio of the interview is here. Last week, a Sangamon County judge denied the governor’s request to
Illinois Sees Highest Number Of COVID-19 Deaths In One Day CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker responded Tuesday to the ruling of an Illinois judge that sided with State Representative Darren Bailey against the extended stay-at-home order. Gov. Pritzker said the judge’s ruling on Monday is limited and only applies to one person. He noted the
A Clay County judge Monday ruled in favor of Republican State Rep. Darren Bailey in his fight against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s extended stay-at-home order. Judge Michael McHaney granted a temporary restraining order to Bailey, saying that Pritzker’s order exceeds his emergency authority. Brian Moline talks with Scott Szala. Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline spoke with University