Darren Bailey to stay in Illinois governor race after fatal crash
Former Downstate Rep. Darren Bailey announced Monday that he will continue his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor, 19 days after his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren were killed in a helicopter crash in rural Montana.
Appearing with his wife, Cindy, in a nearly three-minute video that frequently touched on Bailey’s conservative evangelical faith as well as the encouragement he received from President Donald Trump, he said, “The last two weeks have been the most difficult days of our lives. But your prayers, your messages and your love have carried us through and we are so grateful.”
“After much prayer and thought, Cindy and I have decided that we are staying in this race for governor — not for politics but for every family trying to succeed in a state that has lost its way, for every parent who dreams of a better future for their children and for every Illinoisan who knows we can do better,” said Bailey, who won the 2022 GOP nomination for governor but lost to Democratic incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker by 13 percentage points.
“President Trump called me recently and he said, ‘Darren, keep fighting. Don’t back down.’ That’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Bailey said. “We’ve all been through tough times, but what makes Illinois special are the people who don’t give up, the people who work hard, help their neighbors and believe that tomorrow can be better. This is what I’m fighting for.”
Just days before the first day of filing for the March 17 primary election, Bailey’s campaign announced the deaths of his son Zachary, daughter-in-law Kelsey and grandchildren Vada Rose and Samuel. Another of the couple’s children, Finn, was not on the plane and Bailey and his wife took over guardianship of him. Zachary Bailey was piloting the helicopter. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident.
When the campaign filed its nominating petitions on Oct. 27, Bailey’s running mate, Cook County GOP Chairman Aaron Del Mar, acknowledged that Bailey’s candidacy was in flux and that the gubernatorial candidate had gone through emotional “ups and downs,” adding “there are times when Darren seems like his normal self, and then there are times when he’s completely broken.” »
In the video, Bailey cited the “faith and purpose” of his late son and daughter-in-law, saying they “believed in an Illinois where families could build a future without being crushed by bad government and broken promises. They believed this state could do better. So did we.”
“Then I ask you to stay with us,” Bailey said, holding out his wife’s hand. “Pray with us. Fight with us. Together we can bring back common sense, honesty and leadership that serves real people again. Together we will save Illinois’ future.”
Bailey, a farmer from upstate Xenia, previously served in the state Legislature. After losing to Pritzker, he unsuccessfully challenged Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in the 2024 primary.
It was not immediately clear when Bailey would return to active campaigning. He reportedly considered taking time off the trail until resuming campaign activities after the new year and allowing Del Mar to act as a surrogate — as he did at a forum for gubernatorial candidates in West Dundee Monday night.
Pritzker, who attended a memorial event hosted by Bailey’s family, is seeking a third term as governor while also weighing a possible run for the White House in 2028. Bailey is among seven Republicans who have filed to run for Republican office, including conservative activist Ted Dabrowski, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick and Rick Heidner of Barrington Hills, a wealthy real estate developer who has a controversial past as the founder of Gold Rush Gaming.
