Exclusive: Darren Bailey Within ‘Striking Distance’ as Illinois Governor's Race Tightens

“Voters are ready for change” after Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker’s “catastrophic impact,” according to Republican nominee Darren Bailey, who is currently within “striking distance” of his Democratic opponent in the 2022 race for governor of Illinois.

In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News on Sunday, state senator and Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey highlighted the “failure” of Democrat Gov. J. B. Pritzker, calling him “an out-of-touch trust fund billionaire who has abandoned working families.” 

According to Bailey, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, residents of the Prairie State have long been victims of the governor’s “terrible” policies.

“Illinoisans have felt the devastating consequences of Pritzker’s terrible policies, from their bank accounts to their safety,” Bailey said. “All of Illinois has felt the catastrophic impact of J.B.’s failure.” 

“Voters are ready for change,” he added, “and we will deliver it when we fire Pritzker in November.”

The governor’s race has tightened in recent weeks, as many of the state’s voters become disappointed with Pritzker’s performance, seeing Bailey as a preferable alternative.   

According to a fresh poll released Thursday by Fabrizio Lee, Bailey is within “striking distance” of Pritzker.

The poll shows Bailey trailing by merely 5 points (50% – 45%) in the close race, after Pritzker’s lead was twice that (+10) just one month ago, and 50 percent of voters disapprove of Pritzker’s role, 45 percent “strongly” disapproving, and only 31 percent who strongly approve of him. 

Last month, Bailey, a third-generation farmer, told Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to get off her “elitist high horse” and “remember who puts food on your plate,” after the Democrat mayor called to send Bailey “back to the farm.”

Due to his tough-on-crime stance, Bailey recently received an endorsement from the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police.

In August, he slammed the state’s SAFE-T (Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today) Act that will end cash bail in Illinois and limit the use of force that police officers are permitted to use.

The new law, passed by Democrats, will free from jail thousands of suspects accused of second-degree murder, kidnapping, burglary, robbery, and other violent crimes.

If elected to office, Bailey said he would repeal the law, which is slated to take effect in January.

“The same so-called reform package makes it harder to charge murder accomplices and allows for anonymous and unsworn complaints to be filed against law enforcement officers,” he said.

He also slammed Pritzker and Lightfoot for the increase in violent crime in Chicago and throughout the state by taking away tools for law enforcement officials to use against criminals.

“Unfortunately, Mayor Lightfoot, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and the other elite radicals in our state see our police members as the enemy,” Bailey said.