Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar speak with supporters. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Ben Szalinski)
Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey says he will spend much of the remainder of his campaign in Chicago and the suburbs as he seeks a different outcome from his 2022 loss to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker.
During a recent downstate campaign tour, Bailey told supporters that stronger Republican turnout in Southern Illinois remains critical, but said improving his performance in the Chicago area will be key to winning in November.
Bailey received just 23% of the vote in Cook County during the 2022 governor’s race. His running mate, Cook County Republican Party Chairman Aaron Del Mar, said the campaign hopes to increase that figure to around 33% this year.
Bailey continues to campaign on issues including property taxes, public safety and state spending. He is proposing a 1% cap on property taxes and remains a critic of the SAFE-T Act and its elimination of cash bail.
Pritzker, meanwhile, has contributed more than $90 million to his reelection campaign and has begun airing television advertisements targeting Bailey.
The campaign has also become increasingly contentious over Bailey’s involvement in founding Full Armor Christian Academy in Southern Illinois and its religious curriculum. Bailey has accused Pritzker of distorting the school’s teachings, while Pritzker’s campaign has criticized Bailey over the issue.
With no independent polling yet providing a clear picture of the race, both campaigns are positioning for the final two months before the November election.