Will President Donald Trump endorse Darren Bailey in his bid to unseat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker?
Trump did back Bailey during the 2022 election, which the former state senator lost to Pritzker, and he was asked whether he would do so again this time around.
The president did not confirm whether he’d offer Bailey his endorsement, but did say he liked him while also criticizing Pritzker.
“I like Darren Bailey,” Trump said at the White House. “JB Pritzker is a slob of a governor. He could call me and I’d send in the National Guard and Chicago would have no crime.”
While Trump did endorse Bailey in the 2022 race, he notably did not when he tried to unseat Rep. Mike Bost in a Congressional primary. Bost won that race and ultimately kept his seat in the House.
In this election cycle, Bailey has at times criticized Trump, including when the president blasted Pope Leo XIV in social media posts and in interviews.
“I’m a Christian and I’m an Illinoisan. President Trump mocking a Chicago-born Pope and posting himself as Jesus Christ is wrong. I don’t care whose name is attached to it—I’ll always call it like I see it,” Bailey said in a post after Trump had posted an image depicting himself as Jesus.
Bailey has also softened his rhetoric when it comes to Chicago, which he famously called “a hellhole” during his 2022 campaign.
“Being a farmer, being a former state legislature, you learn from your mistakes. And as we started this journey, moved through the primary, I wanted to make sure that people understood that I learned, you know, what I did wrong the last time,” he said. “And I want to represent all of Illinois. And in order to represent all of Illinois, I’ve got to be heard. I’ve got to watch what I say. I got to bring unity, not just to my party, but to all of Illinois and that’s exactly what I intend on doing.
Even with Bailey seeking to forge a new path in the 2026 race, Pritzker’s campaign has repeatedly continued to tie his opponent to the Trump administration, which has seen its polling numbers dropping amid rising gas prices and the ongoing conflict in Iran.
“Don’t be fooled. My opponent, Darren Bailey, wants to be the Donald Trump of Illinois,” he said in a social media post last week.
from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/Xp2YG4y
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