Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and his Republican challenger Darren Bailey faced off Tuesday in a sometimes heated debate, as the two gubernatorial candidates battled over numerous policy positions ranging from taxes and education to President Donald Trump and the future of the Chicago Bears. […]
“It’s time for Gov. Pritzker to own the failures and the problems of Illinois,” Bailey said Tuesday when asked about the potential loss of billions of dollars in funding for Illinois hospitals, adding that he planned to count how many times his opponent would mention Trump by name during Tuesday’s forum.
“Now what Darren Bailey is not saying to you is how he has pushed back,” Pritzker responded. “He has not. He thinks it’s OK. He’s sat silently while Donald Trump has taken these things away from people in the state of Illinois.”
A week after meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell amid the Chicago Bears’ potential move east into Indiana, Pritzker on Tuesday said he believes state legislators are going to be able to “get something done to keep the Bears in the state of Illinois.” […]
But Bailey said Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has already “assured” him the team’s move into Hammond is a done deal.
“I’m just glad I’m not going to be known as the governor that lost the Bears,” Bailey said.
Following the forum, Pritzker told reporters the state has continued negotiations with the team and he believes both that “we’re closer now than we have been before” and that the state could potentially give the Bears the option of either moving to a site in suburban Arlington Heights or remaining in the city of Chicago.
While Bailey’s campaign has lacked the money to get its message out beyond social media and digital ads, two topics he’s tried to hit hard are crime and local law enforcement’s interactions with immigrants in Illinois without proper paperwork.
During the debate, Bailey restated his opposition to the state’s elimination of cash bail for nonviolent offenders and to sanctuary policies on immigrants that limit cooperation between state and local police and federal immigration authorities.
The Republican acknowledged that Operation Midway Blitz, the deadly Trump-backed immigration enforcement surge that began largely in the Chicago area last fall, “didn’t go very well” and that “mistakes were made.” But he blamed Pritzker for having “stood up and rallied the people to go to the streets … and create division” over the federal operation.
Pritzker, criticizing federal agents for detaining U.S. citizens because of their race, ethnicity or language, said: “I do not think that is the country that any of us want.”
As Bailey highlighted the relatively stronger financial position of Indiana’s state pension system in contrast to Illinois’, Pritzker suggested his opponent’s loyalties lie east of the border.
“He always talks about how great Indiana is. It seems like he loves Indiana more than he loves Illinois,” Pritzker said. “In my view, we’ve got to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to balance the budget in order to pay for the things that we really care about.”
“There’s a lot of people who love Indiana… they’re moving out of here,” Bailey countered.
“It’s sad, that’s what you believe,” Pritzker responded.
Asked about proposals to increase state revenue, Pritzker and Bailey again strongly disagreed on approaches.
Bailey said the state government needs to cut wasteful spending, rather than implementing new taxes on the most wealthy Illinoisans.
“You want to tax people of means? Go ahead. You know what’s going to happen? They’re going to move out of state,” Bailey said. “If we continue to tax the rich, that’s a socialist mentality and we can’t afford to do that.”
Pritzker defended a proposed millionaires tax that failed to gain momentum in Springfield for a statewide ballot question this November.
“When I propose that we lower taxes for working families and ask the wealthy and the big corporations to pay their fair share, Darren Bailey voted against that. I think we should be fighting for working families. We should be fighting for the middle class,” Pritzker said.
Bailey took shots at Pritzker for “bringing all these data centers in, free rein, give them tax breaks, let them have their thing, and now all of a sudden we’ve seen our energy prices spike.”
Pritzker, who has paused state tax incentives for data center construction, said, “We should have no more data centers, unless they bring their own clean energy, bring their own closed-loop water systems, and let local governments and people living locally to decide whether or not they want a data center in their local communities.”
Recent crimes and the state’s criminal justice reforms also surfaced.
Bailey argued, “And I think the biggest problem with the Safety Act, I think we need to repeal it.” Pritzker countered, “Darren Bailey’s answer to this is to go back to a system where the most violent criminals can buy their way out of jail.”
Throughout the night, Bailey frequently interrupted Pritzker, who accused Bailey of lying.
Bailey also questioned Pritzker’s political ambitions, saying, “I’m not running for president like J.B. Pritzker is. I’m running for what I can do as governor here in the state of Illinois.”
Pritzker replied, “Look, I’m flattered that you think that I could get elected president of the United States, but I’m running for re-election as governor.”
* JB for Governor spokesperson Leah Hurwitz…
“Today, voters across Illinois saw firsthand the clear difference between Governor JB Pritzker and Darren Bailey. Gov. Pritzker has been fighting for Illinois working families for the past eight years by raising the minimum wage, growing the economy, and protecting fundamental rights. Meanwhile, Darren Bailey made clear his vision for Illinois: roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump, take away women’s right to choose, and make life more expensive for working families. He’s an extremist who will blindly follow Trump’s MAGA agenda with no regard for Illinoisans. He cannot be trusted to lead Illinois.”
Discuss.
* More…
* Crain’s | Pritzker says something will get done in veto session to keep Bears: Gov. JB Pritzker says he’s optimistic he and state legislators will put together a bill during the upcoming veto session to keep the Chicago Bears from leaving for Indiana. “I believe that in November we’re going be able to get something done to keep the Bears in the state of Illinois,” Pritzker said when asked about keeping the team during a debate with GOP challenger Darren Bailey tonight on WTTW.
* Politico | Pritzker and Bailey pour it on: Bailey also came prepared with a drinking game, urging viewers to count how many times Pritzker mentioned Trump, suggesting they take a drink every time the president’s name came up. Pritzker didn’t disappoint. He blamed Trump for cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, higher farm costs and the economic fallout from tariffs.
* Capitol City Now | Three weeks out, Pritzker and Bailey debate: Independent candidate Collin Corbett was not invited to participate but afterward said in an emailed statement: “With such a weak candidate in Darren Bailey sitting across from JB Pritzker in tonight’s forum, there was no one there to hold him accountable for his failures and lies. The truth: Illinois is significantly less affordable for working families today than it was when JB Pritzker took office. Our property taxes are the highest in the country, while our health care, energy, gas, and housing prices are skyrocketing. And all JB Pritzker does is blame Washington, while there are things we could do right now that could lower the cost of living for Illinoisans.”
* Press release | DGA Statement on Gov. JB Pritzker’s Win in the Illinois Gubernatorial Debate: “Tonight Gov. JB Pritzker reminded Illinois voters why they chose him over Darren Bailey four years ago, and why they’ll enthusiastically do so again this November. On the debate stage this evening, Bailey once again showed that he has nothing to offer Illinois except a relentless commitment to bringing Trump’s unpopular, costly, and chaotic agenda to Illinois. He supports banning abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest, opposes raising the minimum wage, and supports Trump’s cost-hiking tariffs that are making life harder for Illinois families. The contrast couldn’t be clearer with Gov. Pritzker, who has delivered for Illinois at every turn and proved once more on the debate stage that he’s the right leader to continue standing up to Trump and getting results for Illinois families.”
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:37 am:
- “I’m just glad I’m not going to be known as the governor that lost the Bears,” Bailey said. -
So Bailey is already conceding? Also, last week Mark Maxwell asked who his favorite player was and he couldn’t name one, I’d probably be more embarrassed about that.
- Google is Your Friend - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:51 am:
==But Bailey said Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has already “assured” him the team’s move into Hammond is a done deal.==
Darren Bailey made some good points about taxes. This is as good as at gets for him. Pritzker did not have to debate him. This is really it . No money, wrong state to be in if you want low cost government.
Pritzker handled himself well, I would have struggled with all of Bailey’s ignorant interruptions.
=wrong state to be in if you want low cost government.=
What does that mean? Do you think Indiana is a “low cost” government? Low cost usually seems to mean dirt roads and workers left out in the cold if you mean states like Indiana and Mississippi.
how much does the average person know about this race? I had no idea the debate was happening. not that it would help Darren Bailey or the Gov’s Presidential ambitions. but it’s interesting to me that I did not notice it was happening.
“People of means” is killing me. Stop criminalizing billionaire and millionaire bodies!
- here we go again - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 10:12 am:
That short debate didn’t move the needle. If anything, Bailey just lost more ground. Bailey got flustered right off the bat as Pritzker kept hammering the charge that Bailey voted to raise property taxes 13 times as a school board member. That’s hardly a new allegation but incredibly Bailey remains unprepared to seriously address it. Simply yelling “liar!” hardly inspires confidence. And the “drinking game” was so lame. Promoting without alcohol is just silly. Just another example where Bailey picks up on something he thinks is “cool” but then makes it cringy. Chalk this election up as yet another blown opportunity for the Illinois GOP. I predict Bailey loses by even more than he did last time and the other statewides are in the same boat, although I will say Bryan Drew for Comptroller deserves to lose by less. He’s a good candidate running a good campaign. Unfortunately he’s dragged down by people and factors outside of his control.
- XonXoff - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:36 am:
The drinking game angle got old, quick.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:37 am:
- “I’m just glad I’m not going to be known as the governor that lost the Bears,” Bailey said. -
So Bailey is already conceding? Also, last week Mark Maxwell asked who his favorite player was and he couldn’t name one, I’d probably be more embarrassed about that.
- Google is Your Friend - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:51 am:
==But Bailey said Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has already “assured” him the team’s move into Hammond is a done deal.==
If it’s a done deal, why isn’t the deal done?
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:52 am:
==But Bailey said Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has already “assured” him the team’s move into Hammond is a done deal.==
I’d like either of these gentlemen to show me a shovel in the ground and/or signatures dried on paper.
- Steve - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:53 am:
Darren Bailey made some good points about taxes. This is as good as at gets for him. Pritzker did not have to debate him. This is really it . No money, wrong state to be in if you want low cost government.
- Rudy’s teeth - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:54 am:
Last night’s debate is another sterling example of why Darren Bailey is not qualified or prepared to be governor in E-LA-NOY.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 9:59 am:
Pritzker handled himself well, I would have struggled with all of Bailey’s ignorant interruptions.
=wrong state to be in if you want low cost government.=
What does that mean? Do you think Indiana is a “low cost” government? Low cost usually seems to mean dirt roads and workers left out in the cold if you mean states like Indiana and Mississippi.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 10:05 am:
how much does the average person know about this race? I had no idea the debate was happening. not that it would help Darren Bailey or the Gov’s Presidential ambitions. but it’s interesting to me that I did not notice it was happening.
- Katie - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 10:08 am:
“People of means” is killing me. Stop criminalizing billionaire and millionaire bodies!
- here we go again - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 10:12 am:
That short debate didn’t move the needle. If anything, Bailey just lost more ground. Bailey got flustered right off the bat as Pritzker kept hammering the charge that Bailey voted to raise property taxes 13 times as a school board member. That’s hardly a new allegation but incredibly Bailey remains unprepared to seriously address it. Simply yelling “liar!” hardly inspires confidence. And the “drinking game” was so lame. Promoting without alcohol is just silly. Just another example where Bailey picks up on something he thinks is “cool” but then makes it cringy. Chalk this election up as yet another blown opportunity for the Illinois GOP. I predict Bailey loses by even more than he did last time and the other statewides are in the same boat, although I will say Bryan Drew for Comptroller deserves to lose by less. He’s a good candidate running a good campaign. Unfortunately he’s dragged down by people and factors outside of his control.