Darren Bailey, the Republican nominee for Illinois governor, is making a notable shift in his campaign strategy this year by moving into an apartment on Chicago’s near South Side. Bailey hopes this move will serve as a headquarters for his Chicago-area campaign and help him connect more directly with city residents.
Bailey made the announcement to Capitol News Illinois last Wednesday, just before addressing the annual Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day in Springfield. The former state lawmaker and Clay County farmer is familiar with such a strategy, having previously lived in the John Hancock Center during his last gubernatorial bid. Despite his efforts, Bailey lost that race to Governor JB Pritzker by 12 percentage points and garnered only about 15% of the Chicago vote.
Bailey’s relationship with Chicago has evolved—he once referred to the city as a “hellhole,” a statement he says he no longer stands by. This year, Bailey is promising to focus more on engaging with voters in both Chicago and its suburbs, without neglecting his downstate base.
“I feel like our base knows and understands because I communicated that continually as we were visiting within the last several months telling them that, you know, you’re not going to see a lot of us after the primary,” Bailey explained.
The cost of Bailey’s new South Loop apartment, which he hopes will be covered by a donor, starts at around $2,000 a month according to Downtown Apartment Collective. While state law typically bans the use of campaign funds for personal residences, some exceptions for candidates’ campaign-related expenses exist.
Governor Pritzker’s campaign remains unconvinced by Bailey’s new approach. “Darren Bailey has spent his entire career demonizing Chicago and the people who live here,” said Pritzker spokesperson Alex Gough. “He can change his address, but that doesn’t change the facts. Darren Bailey is the same extreme, unsuccessful, and totally unqualified candidate he’s always been.”
Bailey, meanwhile, is striving to balance his message for both city and rural voters. He’s also emphasized his independence from the Republican establishment and former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Bailey in 2022. Recently, Bailey even criticized Trump’s comments on Pope Leo XIV and the war in Iran, saying, “I’ve always said that when I see something wrong, I’ll call it out.”
Despite his willingness to challenge Trump, Bailey says he would still welcome the former president’s endorsement, though he does not believe it would determine the outcome of his campaign.
Bailey continues to criticize Governor Pritzker for issues like high gas prices and property taxes, arguing that these problems existed before recent economic challenges. At Wednesday’s event, Bailey called on fellow gun owners to combat voter apathy and support Second Amendment rights at the polls.
As Bailey continues his campaign, all eyes will be on whether his renewed focus on Chicago can help him gain traction in a city where he has struggled in the past.