Illinois Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey says losing his son and three other family members in a Montana helicopter crash has prompted him to change his campaign message.
Bailey, who lost to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker four years ago, has five Republican opponents for the March primary. In this second gubernatorial run, Bailey has a new tone.
“I realized that the messaging, the priorities to me in Southeastern Illinois weren’t necessarily the same for all of Illinois,” says Bailey.
In his first interview since the October helicopter crash, Bailey tells NBC 5 he’s reshaping what’s important as he re-emerges to campaign ahead of the spring. He plans to zero in on issues that he says will “focus on that 80% that we all agree on.”
He says those issues are affordability, public safety and schools.
In addition to that campaign focus, Bailey is rethinking his criticism that “Chicago is a hellhole.” That was a frequent campaign message in 2022. Bailey concedes he had doubled down on the criticism, but he’s decided to change his message.
“(I realized in) this journey of this loss over the last six weeks, words matter,” he said.
Four years ago Bailey tried to have Pritzker sign a pledge he would serve out his full four-year term, and with White House speculation still surrounding the governor, Bailey is likely to ask him to do the same this time.
“I think it’s obvious he’s going to be vacant from the governor’s office and he is going to be running for president,” he said.
The 2026 primary is set for March 17. In addition to Bailey, Ted Dabrowski, James Mendrick, Joseph Severino, Rick Heidner, and Max Solomon will also appear on the ballot.
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