MEMO: Darren Bailey’s Far-Right Extremist Record

From: Jordy Zeigler, Senior Campaign Advisor

Date: June 30, 2022

Subject: Bailey’s Far-Right Extremist Record & Policies Are Too Conservative for Illinois

The DGA is excited to support Gov. JB Pritzker’s re-election campaign. As Republicans wage a war on women and families, the governor has fought for access to critical reproductive care, good jobs, livable wages, and affordable health care for all Illinoisans.

Darren Bailey, best known for his far-right record, extremist policies, and full embrace of MAGA, secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination and will go up against Gov. Pritzker in November. It is clear that Bailey is far too conservative for Illinois.

Embracing MAGA

Darren Bailey has proven himself to be a key member of the MAGA crowd, securing endorsements from Donald Trump himself, ultra-conservative Congresswoman Mary Miller, famed Trump strategist Steve Bannon, and former Trump advisor Steve Cortes.

• Trump said: “Darren has my complete and total endorsement,” calling Bailey “the man to take on and defeat one of the worst governors in America.”
• Miller said: “Darren Bailey is gonna be like Trump to Illinois. Fighting on offense for the regular people.”
• Bannon said: “Darren Bailey in Illinois, Doug Mastriano in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Andrew Giuliani in the state of New York — I tell you, if you get these guys in office, you’re going to turn this thing around.”
• Cortes said: “Darren Bailey brings a Trumpian approach to political office, meaning he is an outsider who speaks bluntly and fiercely disrupts supposedly sacrosanct political practices.”

Pushing the Big Lie

Darren Bailey’s embrace of MAGA goes back much further than his gubernatorial campaign. Beyond his enduring support for Trump, Bailey has perpetuated ultra-MAGA voter fraud conspiracies, attacked those who questioned Trump following January 6th, and accepted millions from megadonor Dick Uihlein, who donated boatloads to the group that helped organize the insurrection. An activist deeply involved in Bailey’s campaign was even charged for storming the Capitol.

Radically Anti-Choice

Darren Bailey prides himself on claiming that he just tells it like it is, but it’s just a show of how out-of-touch he is with Illinoisans across the state. A staunch anti-choice voice, Darren Bailey has gone on the record opposing abortion even in case of extreme exceptions, wants to ban abortion entirely, and threatened to support measures to restrict abortions with firearm-esque waiting periods.

COVID Conspiracies

Bailey dismissed the coronavirus pandemic, likening it to the flu and claiming that vaccines cause death — and even going so far as to sue Gov. Pritzker for his life-saving stay-at-home order. Bailey’s colleagues in the Illinois House later voted to remove him from session for his refusal to wear a mask.

From his embrace of ultra-MAGA conspiracies to his far-right extremist stances on critical issues like COVID and abortion, a would-be Governor Bailey is dangerous for women, families, and communities across our state.

Gov. JB Pritzker’s strong, steady leadership stands in stark contrast to Bailey’s far-right record and uber-conservative extremist policies — confirming what Illinoisans already know to be true: Darren Bailey is out-of-touch and far too conservative for the state.