Darren Bailey, a Republican farmer and former state legislator from Southern Illinois, is running for governor in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election. He faces Democrat J.B. Pritzker and independent Collin Corbett.

Bailey won the March 2026 Republican primary with Cook County Chairman Aaron del Mar as his running mate, according to his Wikipedia biography. He also ran for governor in 2022.

Candidate information

  • Party: Republican
  • Hometown: Xenia, Illinois
  • Born: March 17, 1966, in Louisville, Illinois
  • Family: Married to Cindy Stortzum. Four children and multiple grandchildren.
  • Education: High school diploma, North Clay High School. Associate's degree in agricultural production, Lake Land College, 1986.
  • Occupation: Bailey says he is a third-generation farmer who operates Bailey Family Farm with his sons. He and his wife also run a private Christian school.

Experience and public service

  • State representative, Illinois House District 109 (2019–2021)
  • State senator, Illinois Senate District 55 (2021–2023), where he served as minority spokesperson on the Agriculture Committee
  • Republican nominee for governor of Illinois (2022)
  • Candidate, U.S. House District 12 Republican primary (2024)
  • Board member and president, North Clay Unit 25 Board of Education (since 2000)

Bailey has received endorsements from the Madison County GOP, Lake County GOP, Illinois Right to Life and Illinois Family Action, according to BallotReady.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Bailey's campaign website and his responses on BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own words or claims unless otherwise noted.

Taxes and property taxes

Bailey says he would fight to lower income and property taxes and cut government spending. He has called for a property tax task force to develop reduction proposals, saying on his campaign site that "no family should ever pay more in property taxes than their mortgage." He says raising taxes hurts the economy and makes Illinois less competitive.

Education

Bailey says every child deserves access to high-quality education regardless of ZIP code. He has proposed cutting the number of Illinois school districts in half, a move he says would save schools nearly $130 million to $170 million per year. Bailey says the consolidation could conservatively save the state $3 billion to $4 billion in pension costs over 30 years.

Criminal justice and public safety

Bailey says he would stand with law enforcement and work to hold violent criminals accountable. His campaign site says he would crack down on repeat offenders and oppose policies that, in his words, "put politics ahead of public safety."

Guns

Bailey says he supports Second Amendment rights. On his campaign site, he says constitutional rights "are constantly under assault" and pledges to advocate for the right to bear arms.

Abortion

Bailey describes himself as pro-life. His campaign lists "fighting for the unborn" as a priority.

Candidate issue responses were collected through BallotReady and the candidate's campaign website. This profile is part of the Elmhurst Beacon's 2026 election coverage.