* From Pearson’s story about yesterday’s announcement…

Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey on Monday named Stephanie Trussell, a former right-wing radio talk show host in Chicago, as his running mate for the June 28 primary.

Bailey became the first of four announced GOP candidates to pick a lieutenant governor contender. Under state law, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor must run as a team. Team Bailey links a white farmer and state senator from rural downstate Xenia with a Black suburban woman. […]

In her social media posts in 2016, Trussell was opposed to Donald Trump’s Republican presidential nomination. She used the #NeverTrump hashtag on her Twitter account as she wrote Trump “is a despicable human being,” saying he “will donate to #Satan for a land deal” and that her “skin crawls when pundits call #Trump the leader of the #GOP. He doesn’t represent my values.”

Trussell also has used her social media platform to liken Planned Parenthood to the Ku Klux Klan and question the validity of health care professionals calling for vaccinations to deal with the pandemic.

* The governor was asked today about Trussell’s anti-Trump comments coming back on her…

It’s a complete mess over there. I do not know how they’re going to resolve all of this. The cult of personality around Donald Trump is a major factor in the Republican Party, seemingly. And I think they’re going to have lots of disagreements about who’s more Trumpy than the other person. But I know what I’m focused on. And you know what I’m focused on and I’ve been doing it for the last three years and that’s just the people of Illinois, the working families of Illinois

* Trussell had this to say today on the campaign trail…

I support President Trump 100 percent. Like a lot of people, we all had some issues with candidate Trump. My issue with him is that we didn’t think he was conservative enough, that was my issue with him. But you know what? I was so happy to be wrong about him. I voted for Trump in 2016. I campaigned and voted for Trump in 2020. And I will never apologize to the trolls on the Internet for who I am and what I am. I know what I am, that’s unshakeable.

She does more than her share of Internet trolling, as we’re about to see.

* As I told you yesterday, Trussell pulled down her Twitter account not long after people started posting about her. She put it back up at some point, and this was still there…

Hey, @MichelleObama will you allow @BarackObama just one leg tonight? pic.twitter.com/MFoCDSR8pF

— The Stephanie Trussell Show (@ReaganMom) November 5, 2014

I asked the Bailey campaign for comment and haven’t heard back. I asked the ILGOP for comment twice (including on one of their Twitter posts about race) and haven’t heard back. I also asked some Democrats for comment, and House Black Caucus Chair Kam Buckner stepped up…

Stephanie Trussell and Darren Bailey should be ashamed of the past remarks regarding President Obama––but we all know they won’t be. These offensive, incendiary comments are unacceptable for someone seeking one of the highest offices in our state, and I look forward to hearing about the mental gymnastics Mrs. Trussell must do to justify these disturbing statements. Stephanie Trussell is exactly the kind of pick we’d expect from this field of far-right extremists, but she doesn’t represent us and never will.

…Adding… Real tough guy, eh?…

Bailey’s bus relocates to the back door so he can escape the press, despite multiple requests for on camera interviews. His campaign staff physically blocked reporters from approaching him as he refuses to take any questions.

— Mark Maxwell (@MarkMaxwellTV) December 14, 2021

*** UPDATE *** Statement provided by the Bailey campaign…

I wouldn’t expect a basement blogger to do his job and add context to a sarcastic tweet from 7 years ago, but here you go: In 2014, Michelle Obama told black voters, “I give everyone full permission to eat some fried chicken after they vote.” This ridiculousness is the kind of stuff we’ve grown to expect from pandering liberals and the left-wing media, though. They put black people in a box, tell us to keep our heads down, our hands out, and vote Democrat. Well, these elitist politicians have failed us. Our streets aren’t safe, our schools are failing our children, our communities lack opportunities, and we need change. I’m proud of being a black woman raised on the Westside of Chicago, and I won’t apologize to the left-wing media or the out-of-touch career politicians who have been selling out Illinoisans for years. We’re here to fight for change for every Illinoisan and turn this state around.

Hilarious. Also, Buckner has been in office not quite three years. Also, too, I don’t think Obama said anything about malt liquor and watermelons.

…Adding… This is hilariously ironic…

Waiting for the #Trump pic of him eating fried chicken and watermelon under the heading: "I Love Black People". #Buffoonery!

— The Stephanie Trussell Show (@ReaganMom) May 6, 2016

I’ve asked for comment.