Kristina McCloy, founder of Concerned Parents of Illinois, spoke at the Darren Bailey-Aaron Del Mar GOP gubernatorial campaign’s election night watch party, highlighting the work of volunteers who supported the campaign during the March 17 primary.
Bailey captured 53.5% of the Republican primary vote, or 298,844 votes, defeating Ted Dabrowski (28.8%), James Mendrick (9.6%) and Rick Heidner (8.1%), with 99.2% of precincts reporting.
Bailey’s win sets up a rematch with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Pritzker defeated Bailey in 2022 by nearly 13 points.
“This isn’t the establishment’s campaign,” McCloy said. “This isn’t the Democrat donating campaign. This is grassroots. This is why we had nearly 15,000 committed volunteers working on this campaign.”
McCloy criticized Pritzker, who is seeking a record third term, and said the race is about families and children.
“This communist dictator, J.B. Pritzker, has been affecting our families, our children, and their futures,” McCloy said. “This do-as-I-say, not-as I do, limousine liberal escapes to his mansions in Florida and Wisconsin while taxing Illinois families beyond belief for his illegal aliens, big government bureaucrat unions, and handouts to buy votes while our own families struggle.”
She said Pritzker’s leadership has focused on big-government spending, illegal immigration and political handouts, while failing to ensure safety and adequate public services.
“Our families are being mugged and killed in the streets because of a Safe-T Act which panders to criminals instead of protecting law-abiding citizens,” she said. “Our children are being taught to be progressive political activists, that they can be of a different gender, and that it is bad that they’re white. Our citizens cannot even get timely adequate health care while illegal aliens are being put first in line overwhelming our hospitals.”
“This communist dictator has set our beautiful state on fire,” she said. “And for his own political ambitions, selfish political ambitions to become president, he will leave our beautiful state of Illinois in ashes.”
McCloy said Bailey and Del Mar represent law and order, parental rights and fiscal responsibility.
“Tonight is proof that Illinois is fighting back because Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar represent something very different,” she said. “They represent law and order. They represent parents and they represent taxpayers and the forgotten families of Illinois. We will restore safety in our streets, we will stand with law enforcement, protect parental rights in our schools, secure communities, and stop this reckless spending and political pandering that has been destroying our state. They will put Illinois families first again.”
“This is why this campaign does not stop here tonight. Tonight, we celebrate this primary victory as a huge win for Illinoisans. Congratulations. But the real fight starts now. Not just for Illinois, but for the future of our country, we need to stop Pritzker.”
McCloy previously spoke at the Bailey-Del Mar campaign kickoff on Sept. 25, endorsing the Republican gubernatorial ticket and framing the 2026 race as a battle over schools, budgets and government policies.
During the primary, the Bailey-Del Mar campaign focused on economic issues including taxes, spending, crime and population loss, while adopting a Chicago-focused branding to expand appeal beyond downstate voters.
Del Mar, who serves as Cook County GOP chair, brings organizational and suburban reach to complement Bailey’s name recognition and rural support.
Prediction markets currently favor Pritzker. Kalshi assigns Democrats a 91% chance of victory versus 12% for Republicans, while Polymarket gives Democrats 93% compared to 7% for Republicans.
Bailey is expected to focus on voter dissatisfaction and Republican grassroots support as he prepares for the Nov. 3 general election.
