Team Bailey wobbles on SAFE-T Act repeal
Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Politico profiled GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey’s running mate…
Aaron Del Mar is already a familiar figure in GOP circles, but he is now introducing himself to a broader audience of Illinois voters as Darren Bailey’s running mate for lieutenant governor. His selection comes as Republicans hope to unite the party’s suburban voters with its downstate coalition. […]
They’re focused on three things as they face Gov. JB Pritzker and his running mate, Christian Mitchell. “Our focus is simple: affordability, public safety and education,” Del Mar said, noting, “Affordability isn’t just a buzzword. It’s about fixing what’s driving costs for families.” They are not looking to reverse the SAFE-T Act, which eliminated cash bail, but they want it to do a better job of “holding criminals accountable.” And on education, Del Mar said funding should be more equally dispersed. “Every child in Illinois gets a real shot, no matter their zip code.”
Um, what? Darren Bailey has been one of the loudest voices calling to repeal the SAFE-T Act.
* Bailey in January.…
If he were to become the next governor, Bailey said he would repeal the SAFE-T Act.
* Bailey in February…
“The SAFE-T Act must be repealed, period,” Bailey said. “We got to restore safety to this state. That doesn’t mean we can’t turn around and listen to some of the concerns that originated this terrible bill, but in this form it is unacceptable.”
* Bailey in March…
Sure, Aaron.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 11:36 am:
Someone should ask him about the Republican governors busing people to the City of Chicago.
- Alton Sinkhole - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 11:53 am:
She will post verbatim what people say and folks like that.
- In the weeds - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 11:53 am:
Setting aside Del Mar’s attempts to make Bailey seem more reasonable than he is, pretrial detention is not and cannot legally be about “accountability.”
Accountability is what happens after someone has been found guilty. These people are transparently upset we aren’t doing more punishment of people before the state has in any way proven its case beyond reading a police report out loud.
- Steve - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 12:11 pm:
Darren Bailey really was JB’s favorite candidate in the GOP primary. Whatever JB’s spent so far on the campaign : it’s way too much money.
- Who's Who? - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 12:44 pm:
There is a peculiar type of role reversal going on as Bailey defers to Del Mar constantly. It is as if Del Mar is the gubernatorial candidate and Bailey is the Lt. running mate.
- Big Dipper - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:21 pm:
Not sure how the SAFE-T Act conceivably could have contributed to Gorman’s murder when the suspect’s previous offense was shoplifting.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:22 pm:
Gaslighting at its finest.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:43 pm:
While he’s on his media tour, you gotta believe Del Mar is already regretting the deal to take the running mate slot.
- here we go again - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:45 pm:
Putting Aaron Del Mar’s own issues aside (and there are quite a few), Darren Bailey is incredibly unqualified to be governor, by any measure. He has no appreciation for what he DOESN’T know. And doesn’t appear to be a lot of intellectual curiosity there. He is of course hardly unique in that respect as it’s a common condition for people lacking higher education. What does make Bailey stand out is the fact most people who never pursued higher education don’t wake up one day believing they are qualified to be governor of one of the largest states in America. And even if they did, they would likely give up the dream after being overwhelmingly rejected by voters once. And then there is Darren Bailey, the walking personification of ignorance is bliss.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:45 pm:
===Del Mar is already regretting the deal===
Statement not based on evidence.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:55 pm:
==it’s a common condition for people lacking higher education==
Did you just actually say that people who went to college are smarter than those who didn’t? Wow.
- Flapdoodle - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 2:13 pm:
==Did you just actually say that people who went to college are smarter than those who didn’t?==
Actually, I don’t think that’s what Here we go again actually said. What he did say is that lack of “intellectual curiosity” is something characteristic of people who didn’t go to college.
Which is equally as false and insulting.
- H-W - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 2:30 pm:
Management Trump-style.
Wobbling for votes equals say what you need to secure and grow your voting block. If you win, then go back to your original plan - voters be damned. This is akin to how Trump used voters, and then turned on them.
- Tim - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 2:38 pm:
==== you gotta believe Del Mar is already regretting the deal===
NIU Grad quantified his thoughts, but for some reason selective editing was used so the host could do what, make a snappy retort?
- leonard - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 2:56 pm:
just heard that his campaign bus caught on fire behind the town theater in Flora shortly after noon today with a bunch of school kids practicing for a play
- Dotnonymous x - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 2:58 pm:
I wish Darren would go back to the flat top…he’s starting to look like a hippie.
- Mason County - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 4:20 pm:
=If he were to become the next governor, Bailey said he would repeal the SAFE-T Act.=
No change, since he will not be elected.