Bailey Can't Stop Calling Chicago a "Hellhole"
GOP gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) speaks at the Illinois State Fair Thursday. He repeated twice comments he had previously backed away from, again referring to Chicago as a “hellhole.” (Photo: State Journal-Register)
In what should have been a prime opportunity for GOP gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) to verbally smack around incumbent Governor JB Pritzker, instead, Bailey lost the message…again.
After previously walking back statements calling Chicago a “hellhole,” the southern Illinois farmer doubled down twice, referring to the city as a “hellhole” again and defending the statement in a media gaggle afterward.
During his Republican Day speech at the annual rally on the Director’s Lawn, Bailey imprudently jumped right back into his red meat talking points. Interestingly, the statement only received a smattering of applause from a few hundred people in attendance.
Moments later, he blamed Democrats for the problems in the city.
“Chicago, that once great city, well it didn’t become a hellhole just because of Lori Lightfoot and Kim Foxx (the Cook County State’s Attorney),” Bailey said. “Starting with J.B. Pritzker, our leaders are all in cahoots. They’re knee-deep in corruption. And they don’t care about the working people like you and I. They’ve proven that.”
Bailey didn’t mention the City of Chicago population is 2.7 million people, about 21% of the population of the entire state.
Bailey first used the term in a TV debate in late May, when he said the city is a “a crime-ridden, corrupt, dysfunctional hellhole.” He doubled down on the accusation days later on the way to winning the GOP nomination.
In a media gaggle after the rally Thursday Bailey doubled, tripled, and quadrupled down on the statement.
Bailey was asked if he really believes most Chicagoans view their city as a hellhole. "Actually, I believe they do," he told the assembled media. "Because it's unsafe."
“Chicagoans deserve better. I call it out, friends, and you know that,” he kept digging. “When was the last time Chicago experienced a night without a shooting? Do you know? It’s been a while, it’s been a long time. It’s time to restore sanity, and common sense, integrity, and safety on the streets.”
(The last time appears to be sometime in 2020, according to reports.)
The Pritzker campaign was quick to seize on the comments.
"Any person who repeatedly disparages the economic engine of the state, while also spewing racist, sexist, homophobic, and hateful views, doesn't deserve to hold a position of leadership here or anywhere,” a Pritzker campaign spokeswoman said.
It also appears some Republicans are treading lightly getting on board with Bailey’s rhetoric.
When asked directly by reporters whether they will endorse Bailey for governor, most GOP candidates answered with statements insisting that they support the Republican Party’s candidates generally, but rarely saying that they support Bailey specifically.
“I support the ticket, and we’ve got a great ticket. I’m supporting them and I’ve said that already after the (primary) election, so I will be campaigning with every Republican who’s on the ballot between now and Election Day,” House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, told reporters at an event earlier in the day.
Durkin also said he is focused on trying to gain seats in the Illinois House, where Republicans are outnumbered by Democrats, 45-73. But he touted the fact that this year, the party has candidates in 106 of the 118 House districts, a record for the GOP.
State party chairman Don Tracy, of Springfield, tried to brush aside suggestions of disunity.
“It was a really robust primary,” he told reporters after the rally. “It was a really rough-and-tumble primary. We had a great unity event (Wednesday) night. Richard Irvin was there; Gary Rabine was there; Jesse Sullivan was there. They all spoke in favor of Darren Bailey.”
The rally also featured candidates for other statewide offices, including secretary of state, where state Rep. Dan Brady, of Bloomington, hopes to establish a GOP foothold by focusing exclusively on the duties of that office.
“When you talk about the race statewide, I think it’s really important to keep the focus on one thing, and that is what you’re going to do to cut down those wait times (at driver’s service facilities), what you’re going to do in the secretary of state’s office, how you’re going to improve services, and that’s what I’m talking about, and that’s what people are talking to me about,” he told reporters.
That trepidation wasn’t lost on Democrats.
“With his ultra-MAGA, extremist rhetoric and wildly offensive, out-of-touch views, Darren Bailey has managed to alienate even his fellow Republicans,” said DGA Illinois Press Secretary Yael Sheinfeld. “As the newly-minted GOP leader, Darren Bailey is utterly failing at his task to unify the party. If his own peers won’t support him, why should voters?”
A Republican operative said this week “It’s no wonder no-one has faith in the Bailey campaign. It’s the most incompetent statewide campaign in history,” the operative said on the condition of anonymity. “I hope Richard Uihlein is happy.”
Uihlein, a billionaire paper products manufacturer from Lake Forest, gave the Bailey campaign $9 million during the primary and spent another $15 attacking then-GOP frontrunner Richard Irvin through an outside PAC. Uihlein has since cut off the Bailey campaign from additional funding, leaving the campaign floundering at a distinct cash disadvantage.
Numerous Republicans say privately with Pritzker’s high negatives, Bailey still has a chance to right the ship. They also say they’re doubtful the campaign can clean up its unforced errors in the next two-and-a-half months.
