‘People know who I am’: After Trump endorsement, gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey is confident for primary win

CHICAGO (CBS) — Tuesday is Primary Day and we’ll have a better idea who will face off in November. 

Republican candidate Darren Bailey crisscrossed the state on this last day of campaigning.

CBS 2’s Tim McNicholas caught up with him in Springfield.

Illinois State Senator Darren Bailey is wrapping up a tour of Illinois. He flew into the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, greeted voters, delivered a short speech and then CBS 2 talked to him just after that.

TM: In Chicago, from grocery prices to gas prices, folks are really dealing with the effects of inflation. If you’re elected, what will you do to combat that to fix that?

DB: If we would simply convene into session right now, we could be dealing with that. We could be rolling back the tax. A lot of people don’t realize we have the price of gasoline, we have the gasoline tax on that. And then we have sales tax on top of all that. If we would simply cut the sales tax in half, we would save taxpayers 25 cents a gallon right now.

The energy prices, food prices, if government right here in Illinois, not the federal government. If we would convene and meet we could be dealing with some of that, and coming up with a better plan and some relief. But right now nothing is on the board.

TM: After Roe v. Wade was overturned on Friday, you released a statement saying it’s a welcome decision. Legislatures in other states right now are considering measures to ban or restrict abortion access. If you’re elected, would you move to ban or restrict abortion access Illinois?”

DB: It’s a welcome move because that right belongs to the states, number one. And number two, I think we both know the current legislature is not going to allow that to happen. So I think we do something different. 

We get rid of taxpayer funded abortion. We return parental notification. And then we work with churches, civic groups and religious organizations. And I’ve already been talking to some wonderful groups on the South Side of Chicago to work to make sure
abortion here in Illinois becomes unnecessary.

TM: You picked up the endorsement of former President Trump. As you know, Trump lost in Illinois decisively, twice. Are you at all concerned that that endorsement could drive moderate voters, middle of the road Republicans away?

DB: I don’t think so because we’ve been working very hard. We’ve been outworking all the other campaigns combined. People know who I am and they’re going to find out who I am after the primary and they’re going to see Darren
the candidate for governor and that’s who they’re going to be voting for.

Senator Bailey is hosting an Election Night Watch Party in Effingham. CBS 2 will be there live to bring you the latest on the primaries.