Darren Bailey, a Republican from Xenia, Illinois, is running for governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The Lake County GOP has endorsed Bailey, a Southern Illinois farmer and former state senator.
Bailey won the March 2026 Republican primary with Cook County Chairman Aaron del Mar as his running mate, according to his Wikipedia entry. He was also the 2022 Republican nominee for governor. He faces Democrat J.B. Pritzker and independent candidate Collin Corbett. Bailey has also been endorsed by the Madison County GOP, Illinois Right to Life and Illinois Family Action, according to BallotReady, a voter information platform.
Candidate information
- Residence: Xenia, Illinois
- Born: March 17, 1966, in Louisville, Illinois
- Family: Married to Cindy Stortzum. Four children and multiple grandchildren.
- Education: High school diploma, North Clay High School; associate's degree in agricultural production, Lake Land College (1986)
- Occupation: Bailey says he is a third-generation farmer who operates Bailey Family Farm with his sons. He and his wife also run a private Christian school, according to his Wikipedia entry.
Experience and public service
- Board member, North Clay Unit 25 Board of Education (starting 2000); served as board president
- State representative, Illinois House District 109 (2019–2021)
- State senator, Illinois Senate District 55 (2021–2023); served as minority spokesperson on the Agriculture Committee
- Republican nominee for governor of Illinois (2022)
- Candidate, U.S. House Illinois District 12 Republican primary (2024)
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Bailey's campaign website and his responses on BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own words or claims unless otherwise noted.
Taxes and budget
Bailey says he would fight to lower income and property taxes and cut government spending. He has called for a property tax task force to develop reduction proposals, according to his campaign issues page. Bailey says cutting the number of Illinois school districts in half would save nearly $130 million to $170 million annually in administrative costs and $3 billion to $4 billion in pension costs over 30 years.
"No family should ever pay more in property taxes than their mortgage—but in Illinois, countless families do," Bailey said on his campaign website.
Education
Bailey says he would let parents choose schools, support teachers and reduce administrative costs by consolidating school districts, according to his BallotReady responses and campaign website.
Public safety
Bailey says he would hold violent criminals accountable, crack down on repeat offenders and give law enforcement more tools, training and support, according to his campaign website.
Second Amendment
Bailey says he is a strong advocate for the right to bear arms. He says constitutional rights are under assault and that he would protect Second Amendment rights as governor, according to his BallotReady responses.
Abortion
Bailey describes himself as pro-life. His campaign website lists "fighting for the unborn" as a priority.
Candidate positions were drawn from Bailey's campaign website (baileyforillinois.com) and his BallotReady questionnaire responses. The Lake Forest Journal reached out for an interview, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
