Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey and Lt. Governor candidate Stephanie Trussell continue their tour of Illinois County Fairs.

Bailey was at the DuPage County Fair with his wife Cindy and "had a great time meeting with people." He urged people to support local events.

“The county fairs are a great way to celebrate the agriculture industry that is so important to our great state," he said. "I encourage everyone to come out and support their local county fairs.”

Bailey, a farmer himself, “learned at a young age what it means to work hard and earn an honest living.” He is leading the reformist conservative cause in Illinois. Because of his deep conservative roots, he campaigns for ‘“values of hard work, individual liberty and social responsibility,” understanding very well that “precious freedoms are threatened everyday by big government and powerful career politicians.” Currently, "there is a political class that is ignoring our values and harming American families. Illinois needs a leader that is one of us,” the Bailey campaign website reads. He was born and raised in Louisville, Ill., and is a third-generation farmer. He grew up on the Bailey Family Farm, which he and his sons still own and operate. They cultivate maize, wheat and soybeans on their farm. After being chosen to serve in the state legislature in 2018, Bailey spearheaded the opposition to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's mandates and lockdowns that had a negative impact on the state's economy and educational opportunities for kids in 2020.

Bailey's tour of that state's state fairs comes a week after Pritzker spoke in Florida signaling a possible presidential run. Illinois Public media’s Illinois Newsroom reported though that Pritzker noted he was focused on his Nov. 8 general election battle versus Bailey.

Bailey has been decrying Illinois' quickly sinking gross domestic product amid a teetering recession. “Gross domestic product declined in Illinois along with 46 other states signaling the realistic possibility a recession is on the horizon,” Bailey said in a statement. “The 2.5 percent GDP decline in the first quarter in Illinois is higher than the average 1.6 percent decline nationally. While states like Texas and Florida have been lowering taxes and creating a better business climate, the only thing JB Pritzker is offering is a commitment to be the wokest state in the country. The truth is companies want to locate where taxes are low and where there is a level playing field for all businesses not just the politically connected ones.”