Bailey lands GOP governor nomination, teeing up a repeat with Pritzker

A déjà vu governor’s race awaits Illinois after former 2022 gubernatorial GOP nominee Sen. Darren Bailey prevailed in the Republican primary Tuesday, according to unofficial results.

The Associated Press called the race for Bailey at 8:35 p.m.

With 91% of ballots counted, Bailey of rural Xenia had received nearly 54% of the unofficial vote tallies compared with about 29% for former Wirepoints chief Ted Dabrowski of Wilmette.

Meanwhile, video gambling magnate Rick Heidner of Barrington Hills had garnered 9.6% of votes and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick of Woodridge had 8%.

Bailey will again face Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker in the general election. In the 2022 gubernatorial election, Bailey lost to Pritzker with 42.4% of the vote despite an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

“I’m deeply humbled and I promise you this, I will never forget who put me here,” Bailey told supporters in Springfield.

“To my friends in Chicago, I know I’ve got a Southern accent,” Bailey said to laughter. “But from Carbondale to Wilmette, Quincy to Danville, one thing remains the same. Those bills in your mailbox don’t care about anyone’s accent.

“For too long, Illinois has been run by people who don’t care about the consequences of their decisions. We’ve had back-to-back governors who’ve never had to worry about grocery prices.”

Pritzker was quick to respond with a statement Tuesday, saying Bailey “has proven time and time again that he only cares about winning Trump’s approval. His ultra-MAGA values threaten to move Illinois backward, making him far too conservative for this state.”

Bailey said he learned from his 2022 mistakes, which included referring to Chicago as a “hell hole.” The inclusion of running mate Aaron Del Mar, Cook County Republican Party chair, was viewed as a plus for attracting suburban votes.

“Of all the teams in Illinois Republican history, I believe this is the team that can win,” Del Mar of Palatine said.

But early in the primary, doubts rose if Bailey would stay in the race after his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren died in a Montana helicopter crash on Oct. 22, 2025.

On Nov. 10, Bailey announced he would stay in the race.

“Over the last six months, my family and I have experienced an unimaginable loss,” he said Tuesday. “Losing my son and his family — it changed me forever. (But) it clarified what truly matters. Faith, family, fighting for the people that God places in your care.”

With that tragic backdrop, the primary was civil with the candidates, who all have conservative bona fides, piling on Pritzker. But some frictions emerged during a forum that Bailey declined to attend.

“It’s not good that he’s not here,” Dabrowski said of Bailey at a Fox 32 debate Feb. 24. “And he criticized (2022 front-runner) Richard Irvin four years ago for not showing up on the debate stage.”

However, name recognition and Bailey’s ties to Trump were reflected in the primary results.

One issue Bailey will have to confront in the general election is fundraising as he faces Hyatt hotel heir Pritzker, who had $23.3 million in his war chest on Dec. 31.

While Dabrowski and Heidner reported over $1 million in receipts at the end of 2025, Bailey had $35,000, state records showed.

Bailey also lost a prominent donor — Lake Forest billionaire Richard Uihlein who contributed millions to elect the downstate conservative in 2022. This cycle, Uihlein shifted his support to Dabrowski.

Del Mar said contributions surpassed expectations given the Bailey family suspended their campaign for several weeks last fall.

Bailey also gained a new supporter, receiving $50,000 in 2025 from business owner Gary Rabine, who ran for governor with Del Mar in 2022.

Fireworks are expected in the election between Bailey and Pritzker who will reengage on issues including abortion, the SAFE-T Act allowing no-cash bail and immigration.