Trump Endorses Bailey for Governor as Polling Shows Southern Illinois Senator Leads GOP Field by 20
Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) shakes hands with former President Donald Trump at a rally near Quincy Saturday. Trump endorsed Bailey days before the June 28 primary for Governor.
Just days before the Tuesday primary for Governor, former President Donald Trump endorsed conservative Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) Saturday during a campaign rally near Quincy.
Trump visited Quincy for a “Save America Rally” in support of Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-Oakland), who is locked in a primary with Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) in the newly drawn 15th Congressional District.
More on the endorsement from the Chicago Tribune:
“Darren is a farmer and he’s a fighter and he has been an outstanding warrior in the Illinois State Senate where he’s totally, totally respected by all of them,” Trump told a crowd of thousands at the Adams County Fairgrounds near Quincy.
“He will crack down on the violent crime that is devouring our Democrat-run cities and restore the state of Illinois to greatness. Darren has my complete and total endorsement,” Trump said, labeling first-term, reelection seeking Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker “one of the worst governors in America.”
Bailey, an ardent Trump supporter who has actively sought the former president’s endorsement as the capstone for success in a six-way GOP primary race, said he will work to have Illinois welcome a new White House bid by Trump in 2024.
“Here’s the deal. I will not lie to anyone and I will not let anything go unnoticed. And when I see it, I will name it,” Bailey said after Trump told the story of Bailey plucking a misplaced hair out of the former president’s head during pre-rally picture taking.
“We have our work cut out for us here in Illinois, friends,” Bailey said. “I’ve made a promise to President Trump that in 2024, Illinois will roll the red carpet out for him because Illinois will be ready for President Trump.”
Trump lost Illinois by 17% of the vote in his winning bid for the presidency in 2016 and his losing reelection run in 2020.
The Trump endorsement came on the same day as GOP polling firm Ogden & Fry released results from a new survey showing Bailey leading the GOP field for governor by 20 points.
The poll was conducted Friday with 518 respondents. The margin of error for this poll is +/- 4.39%/
In the race for Governor, Bailey led venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan and Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who has fallen to third place after his campaign collapsed and funding from billionaire Ken Griffin dried up.
Governor:
Darren Bailey: 37%
Jesse Sullivan: 17%
Richard Irvin: 13%
Gary Rabine: 9%
Undecided: 20%
When undecideds were forced to choose a candidate, Bailey is nearing 50%:
Governor (no undecideds):
Darren Bailey: 45%
Jesse Sullivan: 21%
Richard Irvin: 17%
Gary Rabine: 11%
Paul Schimpf: 5%
Considering his commanding lead on the field, the Trump endorsement likely doesn’t make a large difference in the race, but Bailey’s camp surely wants the extra momentum among Republican voters.
In the same poll, Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) leads former U.S. Attorney John Milhiser in the GOP race for Secretary of State by a 69%-31% margin when undecided voters were forced to choose a candidate.
Former congressional candidate Kathy Salvi leads pro-Trump activist Peggy Hubbard 38%-22% for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate when undecideds were forced to choose.
The race for the GOP nod for Attorney General, southern Illinois attorney Tom DeVore leads Steve Kim, the 2010 nominee for AG and 2014 primary candidate for Lt. Governor, 42%-38%, when undecideds were forced to choose a candidate.