Darren and Cindy Bailey Making 2024 Moves
Darren and Cindy Bailey posing for a photo during the 2022 gubernatorial campaign. Both Baileys are reportedly laying groundwork for 2024 runs.
After losing the race for Governor by more than a half-million votes in 2022, former Sen. Darren Bailey and his wife, Cindy, appear to be angling to expand their political reach in southern Illinois.
We reported in February that Bailey was considering a run against either Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) or Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville). But, multiple party sources say the Baileys have been privately telling supporters in recent days Darren Bailey will, in fact, mount a race for Congress and Cindy Bailey is planning to challenge Plummer.
A source close to the Baileys declined to confirm or deny the discussions.
“Darren and Cindy Bailey are committed to restoring Illinois. All options are on the table for 2024. The Baileys remain very involved in central and southern Illinois,” the source said. “Cindy Bailey has no formal plans at this time [but] she has a team ready to go if she should make a decision to run. If she does decide to run, she will win.”
It would be a move similar to that of Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-Oakland) who was elected to Congress two years after her husband, Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) was elected to the House.
Darren Bailey has stepped up his commentary on pro-Trump tweets, federal issues, and COVID vaccine denial in recent weeks (like this, this, and this) ramping up speculation he’ll challenge Bost. Cindy Bailey’s social media posts also drew criticism during the fall campaign.
We’ve been told Bost’s team has been preparing for a Bailey challenge “for weeks,” though his campaign team played down the efforts last month.