In The Race for Governor, Darren Bailey Challenges Incumbent J.B. Pritzker

The election for the next Illinois governor is Nov. 8. The race consists of Republican Darren Bailey from Louisville, Illinois and incumbent J.B. Pritzker from Atherton, California. Pritzker is currently projected to win the election, according to FiveThirtyEight. 

Pritzker has been serving as Illinois 43rd governor since Jan. 14, 2019 alongside Lt. Gov.  Julianna Stratton, according to the Office of the Governor.  

During his time in office, Pritzker raised the state minimum wage to $12 an hour with hopes of getting it to $15 an hour by 2025, according to the Illinois Department of Labor. Minimum wage was already $15 an hour in Chicago for employers that have 21 or more employees and $14 an hour for small businesses, according to the Illinois Department of Labor. 

Pritzker also signed the largest infrastructure investment in Illinois history to build roads, bridges, schools, public transportation and expand broadband access, according to his campaign. 

In addition, Pritzker expanded health care accessibility, child care funding, provided $1.8 billion in tax relief for groceries, gas, and property taxes, passed a climate plan and enshrined protections for reproductive rights into law, according to his campaign. Despite all of these accomplishments, Pritzker said he still feels there is work to be done. 

“I’m proud of the progress we have already made, and there is so much more to do for working families,” Pritzker wrote on his campaign website. “As we continue to tackle this pandemic and overcome issues working families are facing, I’m confident in our ability to meet the challenge and continue to get big things done for the people of Illinois.”

Prtizker has also spoken out on abortion, saying  that abortion will always be “safe and legal in Illinois,” according to the Illinois government website. 

However, opponent Bailey intends to protect unborn lives and has voted against the expansion of abortion access,  according to Bailey for Illinois. 

Prior to serving as governor, Pritzker led the creation of 1871, a non-profit organization which helped create over 14,500 jobs while making Chicago one of the world’s top tech hubs, according to his campaign. 

Hoping to defeat Pritzker, Bailey was elected into the Illinois House of Representatives 109th District in 2018 and fought against higher taxes, overspending and sanctuary state legislation, according to his campaign.

Bailey is currently serving in 55th District of the Illinois State Senate and has worked toward tax relief while refusing a legislative pension, according to his campaign. Bailey still runs the Bailey Family Farm, a business that has been in his family for four generations with his three sons, Zach, Cole and Mason . 

In 2016, Bailey founded Full Armor Christian Academy, a school which works toward a Christ-centered education for children in preschool to high school. In addition, Bailey served on the North Clay Unit 25 Board of Education in Louisville and spent 12 years as president of the board, according to his campaign.

Bailey is in support of preserving the Second Amendment, the right to bare arms,  and is a member of the Illinois State Rifle Association, according to his campaign website. 

Pritzker has spoken out against guns, even tweeting at the National Rifle Association (NRA) saying to “leave us the hell alone” after the shooting in Highland Park. 

Bailey has argued for the return of more conservative values including hard work, individual liberty and social responsibility, and he feels those freedoms are threatened by big government and powerful career politicians, according to his campaign. website

“Today, there is a political class that is ignoring our values and harming American families the website said. “Illinois needs a leader that is one of us,”

Bailey is running with Lt. Gov. Stephanie Trussel.