While sitting down for a recent media interview at a Chicago restaurant, Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey was asked, "How does it feel to be in hostile territory?"
A minute later, a waiter asked Bailey for a selfie. Followed by another waiter and waitress. And then the owners.
He then turned the question back to the interviewer.
Bailey related the story to McLean County Republicans on Tuesday night at the party's annual Lincoln Reagan dinner, saying even Chicago wasn't "hostile territory" any longer.
Speaking to the group of well over 100, Bailey emphasized that despite his loss to incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker four years ago, he thinks Illinois residents are ready for change wherever they live.
But they have to vote.
Bailey placed turnout in 2022 at about 45%. That, along with the $35 million spent by Pritzker, was enough to assure his defeat, he said.
His speech to the group at the Doubletree Hotel in Bloomington was part pep talk and part warning — all focused on getting GOP voters registered and to the polls. He said about a third of the population isn’t registered. And of those who are, about 60% didn’t vote.
"Four years ago, I was going around saying, 'Make sure you vote, make sure you vote, don't forget to vote.' You know what's changed? 'Make sure you bring 10 people with you.'"
Democrats currently hold a supermajority in both the Illinois House and Senate, along with the governor’s office, and the offices of lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general. But Bailey doesn’t equate that with the views of the average person as much as inaction.
“It is going to be a typical midterm election for the Democrats. And if we don't do our job, it will be a typical midterm election for us,” he said.
Bailey’s admonition echoed across other GOP candidates who attended the dinner. Aaron Del Mar, his lieutenant governor pick, introduced Bailey. Don Tracy, who’s vying with current Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton to replace longtime U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, also addressed the group, along with treasurer candidate Max Solomon, comptroller candidate Bryan Drew and Dillan Vancil, the GOP candidate in the 17th Congressional District.
U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, who is running for reelection in the 16th Congressional District, did not attend, but addressed the group by recorded video.
Speaking to WGLT after the event, Bailey weighed in on several issues affecting McLean County.
Data centers
Bailey acknowledged data centers are a fact of life, but should be responsible in addressing their energy and water impacts. He also feels local governments should be able to regulate them as they see fit.
“They are billion-dollar companies making billions of dollars. They don’t need to be receiving the billions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies they are receiving,” he said, adding relief efforts should instead focus on working families.
Agriculture
While Democrats blame Washington and President Donald Trump’s tariffs for agriculture’s woes, Bailey said the focus should be on how the state can help.
“D.C. can do what D.C. does,” he said. “I’m focused on what Springfield is going to do,” he said, adding the commotion around national affairs is often a distraction.
“People watch CNN or they watch Fox News and they see what’s taking place in D.C. without realizing that, gosh, your local state rep and your local state senator are the ones that need to be making the true changes."
Housing
Bailey called for a 1% cap on property taxes, and criticized Pritzker’s BUILD proposal as unfairly usurping local control.
BUILD refers to Building Up Illinois Developments, a comprehensive plan to spur homebuilding and drive down housing costs, that was not approved by the General Assembly during the most recent legislative session.
Unifying the state
Bailey thinks that, if elected, he would be able to help unify the state. He noted he served alongside about half the current legislators while a state senator, and was willing to work with Democrats on some issues.
He said that even his opponents would acknowledge his character.
“Most of the time, they will say I don’t agree with him, but I respect him,” he said.
