In Downtown Rally, Bailey Claims "We Are Going to Win"
GOP gubernatorial nominee Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) shakes hands with supporters following a rally Sunday night in downtown Chicago. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
Quite possibly the most evident sign in the David vs. Goliath race that is the contest for Illinois Governor came Sunday as both Governor JB Pritzker and Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) held rallies in the city of Chicago.
Pritzker’s event was highly produced with a stage, backdrop featuring his logo, and a choir from a local church. Bailey’s was hastily thrown together with a mobile microphone, on the sidewalk as Daley Plaza (where the event was scheduled for) was closed for the construction of the annual Christkindlmarket, lit by the lights of television cameras, with supporters waving flags in the background.
Nonetheless, Bailey was undeterred.
“We are going to win in just two days from now,” Bailey told the crowd of supporters.
“JB Pritzker and [Chicago Mayor] Lori Lightfoot, they’ve had four years to do anything, anything to solve any problem, all the problems that we have,” Bailey said. “Instead, they’ve spent four years making more problems and creating more of a mess for Illinois, and pushing more of our friends and families out of the state. The days are coming to an end, friends.”
Speaking for just four minutes, Bailey spent his time criticizing Pritzker and extolling his perceived failures in the Governor’s first term.
“We know what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to restore law and order and to make our streets safe, we’ve got to lower our taxes, and we’ve got to save our children’s education,” Bailey said. “Every bit of that has been decimated by JB Pritzker and Lori Lightfoot.”
Bailey was asked again if he believes Chicago is a “hellhole,” a term he has used for the most populous city in the state multiple times since the primary.
“When I see a problem, we call it out. We don’t ignore it,” Bailey said. “I have great hope for Chicago to be even better than the world class city than a lot of people think it is. I believe in what it can be and should be.”
Bailey, in a sign of last minute confidence, says he believes Pritzker “knows he’s losing” in the final hours of the campaign.