Former State Senator Darren Bailey officially launched his second campaign for Illinois governor in front of a packed crowd at The Drake Hotel in Oak Brook, promising a populist movement to “take back Illinois.”
Bailey, who since leaving public service has returned to Bailey Family Farm in Clay County, delivered a speech focused on affordability, public safety, and education.
“This is the beginning,” Bailey told the crowd. “You are the heartbeat of Illinois—the working families who keep the lights on, the job creators who drive our economy, the moms, the dads raising the next generation, the farmers who feed us, and the first responders who keep us safe. Thank you.”
Bailey said he and his wife Cindy prayed before deciding to run again following his loss in the 2022 gubernatorial election to incumbent Democrat J.B. Pritzker by 13 points,
“We believe this—that the time for action is now,” Bailey said. “Illinois cannot survive another four years under this failed governor. Our families cannot afford it. Our freedoms cannot endure it. That's why tonight right here right now I am announcing that I am running for the governor of Illinois.”
Bailey’s launch kicked off with a three-stop statewide tour on Sept. 25, beginning in Carterville, stopping in Bloomington and culminating in Oak Brook. He painted a dire picture of an Illinois under siege from crime, high taxes and failed leadership, positioning himself as the one to fix it.
With Donald Trump outperforming Gov. JB Pritzker’s 2022 vote total by over 250,000, Darren Bailey sees a clear path to victory in 2026.
Trump received 2,449,079 votes in Illinois in 2024, compared to Pritzker’s 2,197,760 in his last gubernatorial race.
If Bailey or another Republican can consolidate that base, the GOP has a real chance to flip a state that hasn’t elected a Republican governor since 2014, when Bruce Rauner defeated incumbent Democrat Pat Quinn.
“Republicans, this is our moment,” Bailey said. “The stakes are too high to fight each other. We must put aside our differences. We must lock arms and we must fight together. Because when we are united, we can't be stopped.”
The night also marked the debut of Bailey’s running mate, Aaron Del Mar, a Chicago-area Republican who ran for lieutenant governor on a competing ticket with businessman Gary Rabine in the 2022 primary, which Bailey ultimately won.
Del Mar currently serves as Palatine Highway Commissioner and Chairman of the Cook County Republican Party. He was the youngest person ever elected to the Palatine Village Council and served as Co-Chair of the Illinois Republican Party until early 2025.
Now, Bailey and Del Mar say they are forming a north-south alliance aimed at unifying Illinois Republicans.
“This fight isn’t one that I take alone,” Bailey said. “That’s why I chose Aaron Del Mar as my running mate.”
He praised Del Mar as a businessman, party leader and fighter who brings “discipline and toughness into everything that he does.”
“Together, Aaron and I are ready to take the fight to JB Pritzker and win,” Bailey said. “Let’s be honest, we will not outspend JB Pritzker. He’s a trust fund billionaire. But guess what? Money can’t buy heart. Money can’t buy grit. And money can’t buy the determination of a people who love their state and refuse to lose it.”
Bailey’s speech spared no criticism of Pritzker's policies on crime, taxes, and green energy. He condemned Pritzker’s appearances with controversial figures and accused him of aligning with criminals over victims.
“Just recently, a man who stood next to him at a peacekeeper event was arrested days later for a violent smash and grab at Louis Vuitton that ended in a deadly crash, killing a young father on his way to work,” Baliey said. “Instead of standing with victims and law enforcement, J.B. stands shoulder to shoulder with criminals. That ends when I'm governor. I will stand with law enforcement. I will protect victims. And I will fight every day to keep your family safe.”
The man Bailey referred to was charged with murder in a fatal Magnificent Mile “crash and grab” while working for Chicago CRED, a state-funded violence prevention nonprofit backed by Pritzker.
This development has heightened scrutiny of Chicago CRED and similar programs, oversight protocols, and the misuse of taxpayer dollars, raising questions about about how a suspected violent offender with four outstanding warrants was not only hired through an anti-violence initiative but also allowed to stand alongside the state’s highest-ranking official for a photo opportunity.
Kellen McMiller, charged in a fatal Magnificent Mile crash-and-grab, poses with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker at a “peacekeeper” event in Englewood on Sept. 5, 2025. The photo was later removed from a state press release following McMiller’s arrest. (The State of Illinois Newsroom)
Bailey also blasted Pritzker’s national political ambitions.
“We do not need a politician flying around on a private jet chasing approval from the radical left all across this country,” Bailey said. “While he's busy hobnobbing with elites and chasing White House dreams, working families across our state are being crushed by the highest taxes in the nation.”
Indeed, a 2025 WalletHub report found that Illinois residents face the highest combined state and local tax burden in the nation in 2025, paying an average of $13,099, which is over 16.5% of their annual income. This high tax pressure has contributed to significant domestic outmigration, with many Illinoisans citing taxes as the main reason for leaving despite recent population gains from international migration.
“No one should be paying more in their property taxes than they do in their mortgage,” Bailey said. “But guess what? Countless families are.”
He said the costs of doing business are mounting for average Illinoisans.
Citing a local example, Bailey recalled meeting a small business owner in Marion, Illinois, whose electric bill skyrocketed from $2,100 to $4,500 in just three months.
“How is a family business supposed to survive that? If Springfield won't act, I will,” Bailey said.
Bailey’s platform focuses on affordability, opportunity and public safety.
“Illinois should be a place where families thrive, where businesses grow, and where young people stay to build their future, not run away to other states,” he said.
He pledged to cut property taxes, reduce spending and pursue an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy, including coal, oil, gas, nuclear and renewables.
“Illinois families need affordable, reliable energy, not an extreme agenda that shuts us down,” he said.
Bailey pledge extends to public safety, education and tax relief.
“On day one, we will draw a line in the sand and start delivering results,” he said.
Bailey outlined a bold agenda aimed at addressing the state’s most pressing issues with swift and decisive action.
“I will bring immediate relief to families,” he said. “I will restore respect to law enforcement. I will keep harmful content out of the classrooms. I will cut through the red tape that is strangling small businesses all over this state. I will create a task force of former ICE, DEA and experienced prosecutors to get the drugs, gangs and the violent criminals off our streets once and for all.”
Bailey enters a crowded GOP primary that includes DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, former Wirepoints president Ted Dabrowski and Lake Forest businessman Joe Severino. Bailey closed with a rallying cry to Republicans, independents and disillusioned Democrats.
“This isn't just about Republicans,” he said. “This is about every Illinoisan. No matter what your party, who's tired of being ignored or retaxed, disrespected by Springfield. This fight is the people of Illinois versus the political insiders who have failed us.”
Building on that, he promised unwavering support and advocacy for the people.
“I will be your voice when politicians try to silence you,” Bailey said. “I will your shield when failed policies try to crush you. I will for you, the people of Illinois, and never forget you.”
He concluded with a call to collective action and hope for the future.
“Together, we will restore common sense,” Bailey said. “Together, we will rebuild opportunity. And together, we will save Illinois. Thank you so much. God bless you, and may God bless the great state of Illinois.”
Alerts Sign-up