* Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski was speaking at a Northside Republican 2026 Prospective Candidate Forum on August 27th at Glascott’s Saloon. An audience member asked about Darren Bailey’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign and the difficulties in coordinating with him in the city…
Well, I think you know, everybody knows that for somebody who wins statewide, you gotta get something like 33 to 35% of Cook County. And so, you know, Darren Bailey was from downstate, and you know, he had to come up here to try to get that Cook County vote. You know, he made a few mistakes, sadly, when he pulled out his AR-15, which, which works well downstate, but it doesn’t work well in the suburbs. Yeah, and again, again, I’m all for, I’m all, I’m a huge second, second rights, proponent, defense. But I’m just saying, from a marketing perspective, Darren may not want to do that.
* I asked the Bailey campaign for a response. Jose Durbin…
The Second Amendment isn’t about marketing, it’s about freedom. Law-abiding citizens in Illinois have the right to defend their families in the way they see fit, whether they live in Chicago or downstate. There’s nothing wrong with being from downstate. Our families, businesses, and taxpayers matter just as much as anyone else’s. Treating our values like a liability means selling them out, and Illinois can’t afford leaders who cave when it counts.
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:20 pm:
These GOP candidates need to be careful about picking fights with Bailey on these issues where he can get on his high horse about, otherwise he can light a fire under his base to secure the nomination. The main argument against Bailey should be “He had his chance. He lost.”
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:21 pm:
Oh Ted, honey. Ted. C’mon. A rake step that fast?
- Roadrager - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:23 pm:
==Bailey fires back==
I mean, not surprising, given all his guns.
- 202 - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:23 pm:
Rich they should have hired you to do the official transcripts for the Biden Admin. I know they would have appreciated your attention to detail.
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:23 pm:
“Gee Ted, I can’t think of a dumber thing to attack Bailey on than for being a farmer.”
Ted: “Hold my beer.”
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:25 pm:
Only a matter of a few days before Ted is carrying an AR-15 around to every stop.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:32 pm:
===your attention to detail===
Otter.ai gets all the thanks
- Perrid - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:41 pm:
I mean, Ted is objectively correct but that doesn’t mean primary voters will reward his honesty.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:44 pm:
Ted: In the suburbs & Cook County, they Illinois native Wyatt Earp was right.
Darren:NO! Missouri native Ike Clanton was right!
- 2nd Amendment Follower - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:44 pm:
Politics is a game of persuasion. Ted D. is correct that someone can be Pro-Second Amendment or Pro-Life without wearing it on their sleeve. You can’t persuade someone if you immediately turn them off.
- thechampaignlife - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:52 pm:
===The Second Amendment isn’t about marketing, it’s about freedom.===
And yet Bailey shoved his freedom in voters’ faces in his campaign marketing. Besides, Dabrowski didn’t say the Second Amendment is about marketing.
===There’s nothing wrong with being from downstate.===
Yet another Bailey strawman argument. Dabrowski never said there was anything wrong with being from downstate.
- Leo from Dolton - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:54 pm:
Who cares…neither will win. One of the first posts on the Republican Primary, and I already don’t give a…hoot.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:55 pm:
===Dabrowski never said===
Gonna be a long 7 months.
- ste_with a v_en - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 1:59 pm:
Ted doesn’t have what it takes. He’s not cruel enough to win their nomination.
- Blue Dog - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 2:14 pm:
I doubt Baileys covid PPP has ever been spent
- Niles Township - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 2:15 pm:
Rich,
Just be careful with Otter. How you use it makes a lot of difference:
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/15/g-s1-83087/otter-ai-transcription-class-action-lawsuit
- Big Dipper - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 2:33 pm:
Now whether it’s wise to shoot the unread budget is another matter.
- Just Me 2 - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 2:46 pm:
===Our families, businesses, and taxpayers matter just as much as anyone else’s.===
He forgot to say unless the person is a member of the LGBTQ community apparently.
- Rudy’s teeth - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 2:50 pm:
Bailey’s remarks “Let’s move on” after the Highland Park tragedy finished him as a candidate forever. The stunts he created while running for governor show that he is not a serious candidate.
Bailey’s commercials were like cartoons. Clowns belong in the circus not in Springfield.
- Flat Bed Ford - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 3:15 pm:
Bailey insures four more years of JB. Same if Dabrowski picks Ives as running mate. Someone remind the GOP what the definition of insanity is.
- Lite Governor??? - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 3:16 pm:
Darren Bailey has not fared well with choosing his running mates. Part-time talk radio host Stephanie Trussell in 2022 and Aaron Del Mar for 2026.
Do better.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 3:28 pm:
“There’s nothing wrong with being from downstate.”
Says the people who do nothing but trash people who are from Chicago.
- James - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 3:33 pm:
Is it too early to call the race for JB?
- South side dem - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 3:40 pm:
Losers are gonna lose
- low level - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 4:33 pm:
My only question now is how many more seats will HDems and SDems win?
(And I remember the days we went to bed not certain who would be in the majority in the House… seems like light years ago now.)
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 4:46 pm:
Bailey, the gift that keeps giving. Pritzker will not even have to campaign this time around if Bailey is the nominee.
- New Day - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 4:50 pm:
Classic problem when an analyst/strategist becomes the candidate. Ted, your job is not to do political analysis. It’s to be bonkers if you want to win that nomination.
- A-AronDarrenBaildeMar - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 5:39 pm:
D-Ran ain’t having a good day. Rural King money went bye-bye. Dabrowski had an impressive A-1
- low level - Tuesday, Sep 9, 25 @ 6:24 pm:
What’s funny is Glascotts is smack dab in the center of Chicago liberalism