Last night, the JB for Governor campaign sent a letter to Darren Bailey’s campaign calling on the candidate to publicly commit to accepting the results of next week’s election. The letter also addresses the Bailey campaign’s so-called “election integrity” efforts, led by a January 6 insurrectionist.
“Governor JB Pritzker, the JB for Governor campaign, and each and every one of our staff members commits to accepting the results of the election—win or lose––because we trust and respect Illinois voters. We call upon your campaign and Senator Bailey himself to publicly commit to doing the same,” said JB for Governor Campaign Manager Mike Ollen.
READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER BELOW
Mr. Durbin,
I write on behalf of the JB for Governor campaign to ensure that in advance of polls closing on November 8, 2022, all candidates for governor will commit to publicly accepting the results of Illinois’ free and fair midterm election being held next week.
Election denialism is a dark plague that threatens the very foundation of our democracy. In this time of unparalleled division, it is important we as campaign leaders, along with our candidates, promise to respect Illinoisans’ wishes.
On January 6, 2021, we witnessed an assault on our nation’s capital. As we learned from the recent Congressional hearings, this insurrection was sparked by Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election. As a result, voters’ trust in the fairness and freedom of our elections has plummeted.
Senator Bailey has been largely quiet about his affiliation with Donald Trump since accepting the former president’s endorsement. He has not denounced Trump’s efforts to pre-emptively undermine the results of the 2022 midterms. In fact, he’s planted similar doubts here in Illinois. In September, WBCU asked if the senator would accept the Election Day results. His response: “Yes, because we’re empowering the people to be poll watchers…So, if people show up as poll watchers, monitor the election process (and) we get elected, then we will create a voter reform and we will restore confidence in our elections.”
Your candidate’s assertion that his acceptance of the results of a free and fair election is contingent upon his success does not restore faith in our democratic system. The people of Illinois deserve to know whether Senator Bailey is ready and willing to accept the outcome of their votes.
You know as well as I do that Illinois has undertaken painstaking efforts to protect the integrity of elections. At this very moment, early voters are casting their ballots, and mail-in-ballots are arriving at election offices. Meanwhile, Senator Bailey has stoked the flames of poll-aggression. In a recent Facebook Live video, he instructed followers: “a poll watcher can be positioned by us…go to BaileyForIllinois.com and click on election integrity, and you can sign up and we’ll train you. We’ll train you how to do the job number one, and then we’ll train you number two on what to look out for and what to do if you suspect fraud.” It is imperative that neither campaign encourages poll watchers to intimidate voters and election workers or interfere with the proceedings at local election offices. Illinois must conduct a fair and free election.
We have a responsibility to this state, and to people watching across the nation, to end our campaigns with honor and integrity, no matter the final tally. Illinoisans deserve to have faith in the most fundamental part of our nation’s democratic process. They deserve to know that their voice matters. They deserve to make the choice that best represents their values.
Governor JB Pritzker, the JB for Governor campaign, and each and every one of our staff members commits to accepting the results of the election—win or lose––because we trust and respect Illinois voters. We call upon your campaign and Senator Bailey himself to publicly commit to doing the same.
Sincerely,
Mike Ollen
Campaign Manager
JB for Governor
- Loyal Virus - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:13 am:
“With a week to go before the election, anger and harsh language are going to be the name of the game.” And shenanigans for sure.
- DHS Drone - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:16 am:
As usual, Bailey has his fingers on the pulse of the Illinois electorate. Illinois voters are most concerned on whether toilets will remain in the Governor’s mansion. /s
- Louis G Atsaves - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:17 am:
15 people shot in a mass shooting in a Halloween gathering for a balloon release on the near west side of Chicago last night, and Pritzker’s chief concern is what? Politico even called the letter pretty gimmicky.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:18 am:
===will JB pledge not to remove the toilets from the governor’s mansion once he loses?===
If you can’t beat em, zing em. Stay classy Bailey.
- Trap - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:21 am:
A tired and pathetic playbook. Yawn.
- Roadrager - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:21 am:
Pritzker isn’t running for mayor of Chicago and Bailey wants to forcibly eject it from the state, so I don’t know what that has to do with anything in this post or this election outside of justifying Dickie Uihlein’s ad buys.
Also, you don’t care about any of the people shot or killed. Not for a second. It’s harvest season and you’re only concerned with the hay you can make from it.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:22 am:
== and Pritzker’s chief concern is what?==
Probably not a short letter that he staffed out to his campaign manager, but you keep grasping, you’ll reach those straws eventually.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:23 am:
The response from the Bailey campaign is just bizarre.
- DTownResident - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:25 am:
While Bailey says he will accept it, his team was asking for more people to watch election polling places.They are sowing doubt in some places too.
- H-W - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:26 am:
= will JB pledge not to remove the toilets from the governor’s mansion once he loses? =
Actually, that is quite funny. If politicians could return to an era where the spoke seriously, laugh hard, and avoided hate, we would be able to move forward once again.
I like the reply. It is a step in the right direction.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:29 am:
==The response from the Bailey campaign is just bizarre.==
Agreed. They have run a horrible campaign and that response is more proof of that.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:30 am:
==15 people shot in a mass shooting==
Well Darren Bailey did say we should all move on from mass shootings.
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:34 am:
Going with “The real question is, will JB pledge not to remove the toilets from the Governor’s Mansion after he loses?” as the best funny zinger of an admittedly pretty nasty campaign.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:35 am:
“The real question is, will JB pledge not to remove the toilets from the governor’s mansion once he loses?”
The toilet issue was known information in the last election. JB beat Rauner by the largest margin ever against an incumbent governor in Illinois. You couldn’t get a Madigan swipe in there too?
- Mr. Middle Ground - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:41 am:
From Politico: “The letter was a bit gimmicky”
I agree it is gimmicky but still requires an answer. Bailey’s camps response was to the point. “Darren has been clear he will accept the outcome of the election.”
I’m not sure how that’s bizarre. Sure, he threw in some campaign talking points in the following sentences that are unrelated to the question at hand. But can you blame the campaign for taking the free media? The Governors team gave them the opportunity.
- Anthony - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:42 am:
–The response from the Bailey campaign is just bizarre.–
It is the “owning the libs mentality” which does not work in Illinois at all
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:43 am:
== The response from the Bailey campaign is just bizarre.==
I think it’s reasonably effective to try to center the issues that are better for Bailey than election denial. The toilet joke is also funny, but at this point pretty much only CapFax readers will get it (or even see the letter in the first place).
- Eire17 - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:47 am:
If JB has this election in the bag why write the letter at all? It’s pointless.
- MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:48 am:
“The ̶ ̶r̶e̶s̶p̶o̶n̶s̶e̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ Bailey campaign is just bizarre.”
- Zelda - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:48 am:
==Election denialism==
Has any election denier ever said that a Democrat was the victim of voter fraud or a dep state consipracy resulting in their election loss or does this phenomena only impact Republican candidates?
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:48 am:
-It is the “owning the libs mentality” which does not work in Illinois at all-
Well they all get a good chuckle out of it, while they keep on losing.
- low level - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:49 am:
==The real question is, will JB pledge not to remove the toilets from the governor’s mansion once he loses?” ==
There they go again with the juvenile responses to serious matters. And Bailey’s team is supposedly full of young GOP talent? Please.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:52 am:
The toilet joke will get big guffaws from the guys at the grain elevator, which is where I believe the Bailey for governor idea started.
- Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:55 am:
Bailey may, and that’s a hard may, accept the results, but there will be plenty of “I carried x amount of counties to Pritzker’s x” coming from the poor man’s Mr. Haney.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:56 am:
== If JB has this election in the bag why write the letter at all? It’s pointless.==
Who said he had it in the bag?
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 9:58 am:
=Politico even called the letter pretty gimmicky.=
So is Politico
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:00 am:
The Bailey response about toilets is a pretty good metaphor where the Bailey campaign sits.
It’s not even creative.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:10 am:
===15 people shot in a mass shooting in a Halloween gathering for a balloon release on the near west side of Chicago last night===
- Louis G Atsaves -
Will Republicans/Trumpkins have their own candidate for Mayor or will the Chicago Republicans merely just back a Dem… like usual?
- Yahoo - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:11 am:
Could the Bailey campaign just accept defeat now?
- Lurker - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:14 am:
Bailey wins this one. I say, when someone says something dumb/gimmicky, then your reply can be dumber as long as it’s funny. Yep, Baileys response checks all those boxes.
- Osborne Smith III - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:18 am:
“Darren has been clear he will accept the outcome of the election.”
That’s the response. Full stop. The rest was unnecessary, immature, and yet another pointless distraction by the Bailey campaign. If the Bailey response is just those twelve words, this is a non-issue.
- Jerry - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:22 am:
Baylee is worried about the toilets! What about the Meth labs in Zenia?
- XonXoff - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:22 am:
“In 2017, the Baileys reported $1,776 in adjusted gross income and no taxable income.”
1776, eh?
Please. And we’re to believe Mr. Bailey has no capitol preservation skeletons in his homestead closet?
Source: https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2022/9/14/23354150/downstate-republican-darren-bailey-tax-returns-election-governor-farm-subsidy-pritzker
- XonXoff - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:24 am:
*capital
- SaulGoodman - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:28 am:
** Will Republicans/Trumpkins have their own candidate for Mayor or will the Chicago Republicans merely just back a Dem… like usual? **
They already have Paul Vallas.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:30 am:
===They already have Paul Vallas.===
You’re not wrong there…
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:53 am:
–only CapFax readers will get it–
Only people who don’t understand property taxes will get it. It’s always been a nonsensical issue.
For example, last year I tore down an old garage that was on my property. When I did that, the assessed value of that building was removed from my property taxes. I’m fully rebuilding the garage this year in the same footprint(currently). When it is complete, my property taxes for this year will reflect the value without the new building. For the following 7 years, I then get an improvement exemption on my taxes which reduces the assessed value of my total tax bill.
All of it is legal, and in fact the tax code is structured to incentivize improvements on the property.
The alternative is to punish people for improving their property, and nobody wants that. To me, this issue has been more of a self-admission that people who talk about it don’t understand property taxes. It’s not ‘owning the libs’, as much as it is more of an unaware self-own.
- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:55 am:
“Bailey has been largely quiet about his affiliation with Donald Trump …We call upon your campaign and Senator Bailey himself to publicly commit to doing the same.”
JB’s campaign manager attacking Bailey for his silence and using guilt by association with Trump to wrongly paint him as a Jan 6th supporter. The letter then closes by pushing Bailey into forced speech. Bailey is on the record denouncing the attack.
“Bailey earlier this year called for rioters who broke into the Capitol to be “tried or should be punished”
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 11:19 am:
===Darren’s been clear he will accept the outcome of the election. JB hasn’t been clear about how he will fix the SAFE-T Act and has made life unaffordable for working families. That’s why we will win. The real question is, will JB pledge not to remove the toilets from the governor’s mansion once he loses? ===
No one who is interested in running a successful campaign or organization should ever consider hiring the child minded buffoon that wrote this statement.
It’s not a good statement even if the intent was to be snarky. Literal children can construct better retorts than this and it isn’t even good negative campaigning.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 11:24 am:
==Only people who don’t understand property taxes will get it.==
Well, sure, but that’s actually a HUGE segment of the population.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 11:56 am:
==using guilt by association with Trump==
I’m sorry, but the company you keep matters. Bailey went well out of his way to get Trump’s endorsement, and insurrectionists have been swarming around his campaign from day one. It’s a fair hit, and that’s precisely why you’re crying foul about it.
==The letter then closes by pushing Bailey into forced speech.==
What does this even mean? Bailey quite easily could’ve not responded to this letter.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 11:58 am:
===JB’s campaign manager attacking Bailey for his silence and using guilt by association with Trump to wrongly paint him as a Jan 6th supporter.===
Doesn’t Bailey have insurrection apologists as part of his campaign…
Are you saying Bailey doesn’t?
- need - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 12:01 pm:
“um, gee, Bailey campaign, I know we spent $30 million to help elect you in primary, but will you respect democracy and accept election results?” Lol. Is this campaign over yet? Yawn.
- Hon Don Gerard - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 12:12 pm:
- Lurker - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 10:14 am:
Bailey wins this one. I say, when someone says something dumb/gimmicky, then your reply can be dumber as long as it’s funny. Yep, Baileys response checks all those boxes. ===
Awesome! Finally someone who will appreciate my set of Millard Filmore jokes!
- MoralMinority - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 12:52 pm:
The question I have is will Darren stop giving out free Mountain Dep after the election is over. I have my doubts that he will.
- Dotnonymous - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 1:28 pm:
“The real question is, will JB pledge not to remove the toilets from the governor’s mansion once he loses?”
As a former 7th grader, I fully understand where Bailey’s coming from.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 1:54 pm:
==I know we spent $30 million to help elect you in primary==
What a wonderful world of fantasy you have constructed for yourself, where insulting someone is considered helping them.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 1:59 pm:
===I know we spent $30 million to help elect you in primary, but will you respect democracy and accept election results?===
Bailey got 56+% in the primary.
Whatever voodoo that was or wasn’t, the party was backing Bailey.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 2:42 pm:
=I say, when someone says something dumb/gimmicky, then your reply can be dumber as long as it’s funny.=
If election deniers weren’t a thing I might be inclined to agree with you. But the reason that it bears mentioning is because it is a real threat. And within the GOP there’s more condemnation for those in the party that would take exception with election deniers than the deniers themselves. And that’s a real problem.
- Dave C - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 3:27 pm:
It’s a joke. I don’t find it very funny but whatever. Some of you Karens need to lighten up.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 3:31 pm:
===Some of you Karens need to lighten up.===
I think you’re using “Karen’s” wrong here… it’s probably why you first say you don’t get the joke then abruptly go to try to use “Karen” here in a way that’s the opposite of the slam.
It’s ok, I typed “Proft” instead of “Bailey” earlier today.
- Politix - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 3:39 pm:
==It’s a joke. I don’t find it very funny but whatever. Some of you Karens need to lighten up==
Gee, I guess I don’t find toilets or tailored suits all that funny when my right to reproductive healthcare hangs in the balance.
Life must be very good for you.
- SomeGuy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 3:43 pm:
== If JB has this election in the bag why write the letter at all? It’s pointless.==
Biden had the election in the bag yet January 6 still happened. This isn’t about getting votes, but rather about making sure Bailey doesn’t get any wild ideas when he loses.
- Mr. Middle Ground - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 4:25 pm:
=== it’s probably why you first say you don’t get the joke then abruptly go to try to use Karen here in a way that’s the opposite of the slam.===
I read this five times. It make absolutely no sense. Are you saying that he does indeed get the joke because he called everyone Karen? Or are we just playing contrarian today?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 4:27 pm:
===I read this five times. It make absolutely no sense.===
Don’t *you* think too hard, you might hurt yourself.
- sal-says - Tuesday, Nov 1, 22 @ 5:10 pm:
Sure. Til Beetle loses. Been there; seen that.