Xenia – Darren Bailey, former Illinois Republican gubernatorial nominee and state senator, announced Tuesday he is running for Congress in Illinois’ 12th District against incumbent Mike Bost.
In a press release, Bailey described himself as an experienced leader, a fierce for advocate of conservative values, and a tireless champion of freedom.
“I will fight for Southern Illinois and be your voice in Congress, fighting tooth and nail to protect our Second Amendment rights and defend the sanctity of life,” Bailey said in the release. “And I will always be a champion for American jobs and working families.”
Bost’s campaign criticized the Bailey announcement a divisive to the GOP.
“Mike Bost has delivered conservative results for the people of Southern Illinois from day one in Congress,” Bost’s campaign manager, Myles Nelson, said in a press release. “He has never wavered in defending our values and has worked tirelessly to build our region into the Republican stronghold it is today.
“It’s a shame that Darren Bailey is willing to divide conservatives at a time when it’s mission critical that we be united against Joe Biden and the extreme liberals in Congress. Bailey is putting selfish opportunism and personal ambition ahead of the interests of Southern Illinois conservatives, and Republican primary voters won’t forget that.”
Bailey’s statement was emphatic.
“Let us declare, with a resounding voice, that we will not allow our freedoms to be trampled upon,” Bailey said in the release. “We will not be silenced. We will not surrender. Together, we will take back our voice and our country. We will restore economic stability, create opportunities for growth and prosperity, secure our border, and achieve American energy independence.
“We will push back against the radical agenda that seeks to undermine our values and restore freedom across our land. Together, we will build a brighter future for ourselves, our children, and future generations.”
Bailey concluded with a promise to fight for Southern Illinois and the restoration of the American dream, while sending a sharp message to Joe Biden and career politicians in Washington, D.C.
“I have a message for Joe Biden, the radical left, and for every weak-kneed politician who prioritizes their next election over the next generation: You may underestimate the power of the American people, but you do so at your own peril,” he said in the release. “We are a force to be reckoned with, and we will hold you accountable. If you sell us out, we will send you home.”
Bailey said his top priorities if elected are to fight for Southern Illinois and against the “woke” agenda pushed by radical Democrats, to revive the economy through domestic production and promotion of American innovation, to secure our border and fight crime by empowering law enforcement and giving them the tools they need to keep our communities safe, to achieve American energy independence, to protect the unborn and their right to life, and to safeguard our God-given constitutional rights.
Bailey is a third-generation farmer from Southern Illinois who, along with his sons, owns and operates Bailey Family Farm.
He was elected to the state legislature in 2018. During the pandemic in 2020, he opposed Gov. J.B. Pritzker lockdowns and mandates that Bailey said hurt businesses and children’s education across the state. Pritzker collected 54.9 percent of the vote to defeat Bailey in the 2022 race for governor.
Bailey and his wife of 37 years, Cindy, live on their farm in Southern Illinois. They are the parents of four married children and 12 grandchildren, and attend Crossroots Church in Effingham.