East Central Reporter

Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) is drawing attention to rising crime rates in his campaign against Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“Thirty-eight shootings and seven deaths in Chicago this weekend,” Bailey wrote on Facebook. “When is enough enough?”

In the same Facebook post, Bailey posted a video in which he urged his supporters to help get out the vote.

"Make sure you're talking to your friends and your family. Make sure they're registered. It seems 20 to 30% of eligible voters in Illinois are not even registered, so make sure everyone registered to vote and then help educate them who to vote for," Bailey said.

He then turned to Pritzker.

“Gov. Pritzker continues to spend millions just to smear my views, and you know what I stand for," Bailey said. "And the crazy thing is that ... nothing is going to change in Illinois anyway, but he is basically pivoting from all the crime that exists in Chicago."

In recent weeks, Bailey has called for parents to demand that the story of Nathan Hale, a revolutionary war soldier hanged by the British, be included in history books.

“Parents, I have a challenge for you," Bailey said in a video posted on Facebook. "Get your children's history books and see if that story about Nathan Hale is in there.

“It should be. I might have a — I have a feeling it might not be. Look that up, check it out and get back with us. God bless you. We’ll be seeing you on the trail. Keep up the good work. We’re winning. We’re gonna fire Gov. J.B. Pritzker. We’re gonna get those stories of our history back in our history books! God bless and thank you.”

Bailey became the Republican nominee for governor after taking 57% of the vote in the spring primary.