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Rep. Bailey hints at gubernatorial bid

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Illinois

* Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) was on an Effingham radio station yesterday and was asked by the host: “I keep hearing that you’re running for governor, that that’s the end game. True or not?” Bailey’s response…

I want to be a part of the solution, first of all. Governor Pritzker needs to be held accountable, second of all. Thirdly, as people know me and get to know me, they know that I am a terribly passionate person. So I think that’s what we have something here that nobody else has seen before. They’ve seen, they’re witnessing and me someone who believes in literally what they’re doing. So to be accused of grandstanding, a stunt or something, I don’t do that. I do this for a very specific reason. […]

So, whatever I can do, wherever I can be of service, wherever I can exert my influence, if I got the permission from God and my family, I’ll move forward. And if that’s a cheesy answer, I’m sorry, but it’s a sincere answer.

He’s in a serious bubble if he actually believes he could accomplish that statewide goal.

* He also had this to say about mask-wearing in schools...

So, number one, we’re being told currently schools gonna open. Number two, we’re being told that schools gonna open and the students and staff are expected to wear masks.

Teachers can get by without masks, maybe they need to wear face shields. But there’s also some print that allows for a doctor’s permission not to wear, it doesn’t necessarily say a medical condition, it says if you have a problem with, so that can be anything. Because honestly, for a small student or a small child, I’d be very concerned about, too many people have been passing out because of, you know, breathing their own CO2 all day.

The State Board of Education says face shields aren’t acceptable. Also the CO2 thing is a myth. Also, so nice of him to look for loopholes so parents can evade the mandate.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:34 pm

Comments

Wheeeeeee!

Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:36 pm
Mr. Bailey,

An incumbent governor polling, statewide, well in handling the pandemic… who spent $300K… every single day… for over 430 days….

…

Welcomes your candidacy.

I promise.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:38 pm
“The State Board of Education says face shields aren’t acceptable.” Then how will the deaf/hearing impaired students be able to read lips?

Comment by Mama Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:39 pm
=== Then how will===

IIRC, they’re supposed to be educated separately for now.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:41 pm
Team Pritzker should immediately contribute 51 million dollars.

Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:41 pm
I think Jeanne Ives should be his running mate.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:42 pm
On behalf of all Dems in Illinois, please run Rep. Bailey. Please.

Comment by Shytown Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:43 pm
–Thirdly, as people know me and get to know me, they know that I am a terrible person.–

Fixed it. And please run and get destroyed.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:44 pm
The sad thing is, a full-scale Trumpian bid might elevate him to a national profile even if he loses badly as the nominee. He might know he’ll lose, but he would love the attention.

Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:44 pm
Hopefully he won’t get permission from his God.

Comment by Collinsville Kevin Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:45 pm
I look forward to the McSweeney/Bailey/Ives primary. Ooooohhh boy…

Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:46 pm
Oh please oh please oh please…

Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:48 pm
You have to be a real idiot to be an elected official and claim that “masks cause you to breathe in your own CO2 all day.” Soooo thoroughly debunked, but then again we know the GOP ain’t gonna let science get in the way of their ambitions.

Comment by Techie Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:49 pm
“So to be accused of grandstanding, a stunt or something, I don’t do that. I do this for a very specific reason.”

What else can misleading constituents for personal attention be called?

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:50 pm
==the McSweeney/Bailey/Ives primary==

There’s part of me (not necessarily the good part) that would actually look forward to watching this . . .

Comment by Flapdoodle Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:51 pm
‘I want to be a part of the solution,’

To what?

Certainly not to the pandemic.

” Then how will the deaf/hearing impaired students be able to read lips?

I thought I read in the ISBE document that they WERE ok forr DHH population, but I may be wrong.

It’s not my area, but what % of the kids sign?

I also thought I read that teachers might video tape lessons and project on the screen in that instance, but I admit my head is spinning trying to absorb all the back and forth, so that might be I’m misremembering as well.

Comment by Morty Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:51 pm
As a Republican and as a Rino please run. And have Dan Proft as your running mate. Blow up your version of the Republican Party and let’s start fresh. And I don’t hunk his party the Dixiecrat party are the real Rino. They claim to be Republican but certainly not party of Lincoln TR Percy Dirksen Ogilvie

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:54 pm
Please do RUN for governor, then you can find out just how many friends you DON’T have.
And I am a conservative republican!

Comment by The Old Man Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:54 pm
If he does run, I want the popcorn concession.

Comment by JoanP Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 1:58 pm
They do make see through masks to help with deaf/hard of hearing.

Comment by solution Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:00 pm
=== Blow up your version of the Republican Party and let’s start fresh. And I don’t … his party the Dixiecrat party are the real Rino. They claim to be Republican but certainly not party of Lincoln TR Percy Dirksen Ogilvie===

My hope was after Rauner real Republicans would’ve emerged… but as memory serves, the phony Jason Barickman wrote a whole manifesto ignoring not only his own complicity in hurting Illinois, let off the hook the 4 years of ruinous Rauner ways to the party.

Maybe after Trump implodes the party and the Hateful Eight gain a foothold to dictate, at the time of their choosing, a new ruinous way to the Party not of Lincoln, Bailey will then implode whatever is left and I can see a new rising… without phonies like Barickman and Demmer… but actual Republicans who follow the Reagan Rule, understand the suburbs, are inclusive, and see the Beaubien and Murphy, Mulligan and Petersen members find a majority.

But… I’m screaming in the wind, sadly like you.

Be well.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:05 pm
If he runs, even if he just says he might run, it may expand his fundraising reach. And he can’t circulate petitions for another year anyway.

So why not? Creating the illusion of momentum is something he actually is good at.

Comment by Socially DIstant watcher Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:06 pm
Yeah, that is going to bring college-educated women back to the party, that CO2 and masks stuff.

Jim Edgar, Jim Thompson and yes even George Ryan. Take some time, examine how they were able to win in Illinois and take some lessons away from that.

If you did, it wouldn’t be masks and CO2…

That being said, as someone who used to consider themselves a Republican, perhaps this the party we deserve in Illinois at this point.

Comment by OneMan Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:09 pm
==it may expand his fundraising reach==

Nope, look at republican numbers vs. dems this year. Despite being enraged to no end…in a social media sense…they are sitting on their pocket books.

Remember when Brady was the conservative nut job of the republican party, them were the days.

Comment by the Patriot Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:10 pm
“I’m a terribly passionate person.”

I agree….especially with the “terribly” part.

Comment by ???? Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:14 pm
is this the same rep who was kicked out of a 4 day session for not wanting to wear a mask? All I have to say is BLM and what do you think about BLM rep Bailey?

Comment by Derek P Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:18 pm
If Bailey is so anti mask because he just knows he’ll pass out from all that CO2..would at least consider a muzzle?

Comment by DownSouth Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:23 pm
I got yelled at in the 5th grade for using “thirdly” in a paper to begin a paragraph. My teacher says it is sloppy and shows a lack of creativity. We hold our 11 year olds to higher account than the gentleman from Xenia

Comment by Commisar Gritty Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:26 pm
It’s heady stuff to read your name in the paper or hear it mentioned on the rad-dee-oh or to see yourself on tee-vee. Couple this with people slapping you on the back with “atta-boy, Luther” accolades for “standing up to them big city folk”, and you have the perfect recipe for a losing bid for Governor.

Comment by John Lee Pettimore, III Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:31 pm
Since the insider-business Republicans imploded under Rauner, and the Evangelical Christian/Know-Nothing Republicans will likely follow under Bailey and the Donald, perhaps the Whigs will re-form from the remainder?

Comment by Jibba Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:33 pm
Ok. Who has the 2020 Bingo card that has this option? Because we should just declare them the winner of the big prize. This completes my GOP has lost its marbles criteria.

Not sure when I will ever be able to vote for any GOP politician at this point. Especially not one willing to Possibly expose the rest of his fellow legislators to COVID aa he was earlier this year.

Comment by thoughts matter Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:45 pm
Would Bailey even attempt to campaign in the suburbs or Chicago? Or would that go against his principle of wanting to split the state?

Comment by CubsFan16 Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:46 pm
There has been some good people come from Southern Illinois, Mr. Bailey does not make that list.

Comment by Way down yonder Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:51 pm
==So I think that’s what we have something here that nobody else has seen before.==

Dear Rep Bailey,

We have, it’s called Donald Trump.

Sincerely,

GUE

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:53 pm
Is the CO2 thing his attempt at being a scientist?

Comment by Frank talks Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:54 pm
My first act as Gov will be to kick Chicago out of the state. The second act will be to ask Chicago to leave all the revenue they generate.

Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 2:55 pm
Well I’ve always said Mr. Bailey lives in a bubble down there with all his fans and the watchdogs. So I can see the Bailey/DeVore ticket already.

The only saving grace is God is smart and he wouldn’t wish that on any State. He’s been preaching the mask theory down there in Clay County for awhile now and has young and old buying it. I had one person tell me Doctors don’t even wear masks.

Comment by Just wondering Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:06 pm
Next time Mr. Bailey has a media availability - would he be ok with a medical team refusing to wear a mask if he was having surgery? Certainly don’t want our doctors and nurses to get brain damage from all the CO2 in their masks. And as we all know, germs were “invented” by Big Microscope.

Comment by Amber Ale Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:08 pm
Darren Bailey for Gov, Tom DeVore for AG. Joint campaign. Something none of us need, but wouldn’t mind watching.

Comment by Back to the Mountains Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:30 pm
===I can see the Bailey/DeVore ticket===

Nah. Somebody’s gotta run for AG. /s

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:33 pm
My cousin is about a 4′ 11″ 90 lb. nurse who has been wearing a mask all day every day since March.

I guess they’re just a little softer down in Bailey’s hood.

Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:33 pm
===I can see the Bailey/DeVore ticket===

Are there enough 51st staters willing to fill all six spots?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:35 pm
—Jim Edgar, Jim Thompson and yes even George Ryan. Take some time, examine how they were able to win in Illinois and take some lessons away from that.—

OneMan, I fully agree with your whole statement.

Ignorance and Buffoonery. That’s what the vocal (and only element currently speaking publicly) stands for. If Ignorance and Buffoonery are all that’s required, Bailey would be annointed King.

In a vacuum, people will go for any (hot) air they can get. When is true, thoughtful party leadership going to show itself?

I’m waiting but my patience is wearing thin.

Comment by Animus Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:38 pm
He was on a school board for 17 years, so he should certainly know all about schools/s.

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:41 pm
“too many people have been passing out because of, you know, breathing their own CO2 all day.” Rep Bailey, please cite a single professional reference.

Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 3:52 pm
@Rich -

Clear masks have been on the market for atleast a month maybe longer.

To the post:

Bailey needs to learn how to talk before he. An learn how to run.

Comment by Thomas Paine Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 4:10 pm
==And please run and get destroyed.==

Wishful thinking. Todd Ricketts will spend more than enough to stop Bailey in the primary, ensuring that the Cubs remain the official sports team of trump supporters everywhere.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 4:16 pm
With each interview and stunt Bailey is succeeding in making Jim Durkin less and less relevant. The minority leader needs to find his voice. This can’t become the ILGOP “brand.”

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 4:19 pm
===Todd Ricketts===

That would be crushing for the Cubs’ “brand”

Plus, will the Cubs brand be willing to take a $300k pounding for hundreds and hundreds of days?

That’s what would transpire…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 4:22 pm
=== The minority leader needs to find his voice. This can’t become the ILGOP “brand.”===

The Hateful Eight, as they’ve always done, at times of their choosing, dictate the moral compass of the party.

“I can’t stop it now”

- Smilin’ Jack Ross

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 4:23 pm
It’s amazing surgeons don’t collapse under the extreme pressure of keeping a patient alive from all the CO2 they breath in because of their masks sometimes hours at a time.

Comment by Nagidam Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 4:25 pm
Beetle, don’t forget to file and run for your legislative seat. Wouldn’t want you to give up your day job that supplements and provides health insurance for the family farm gig.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 4:33 pm
I hope Bailey does run so Gov. Pritzker can embarrass him.

Comment by Hottot Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 6:24 pm
== Plus, will the Cubs brand be willing to take a $300k pounding for hundreds and hundreds of days?==

I’m sure the old man would be more than fine with it, but I doubt it would come to that. Cubs fans will be mollified when they trot out Laura: “Yeah but they have that one liberal in the family”.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 7:06 pm
I hope he demands that any surgeons that work on he or his family members do not wear a mask as that co2 will cloud their thinking plus as he knows, those potential germs are nothing but a hoax anyway. Maybe he can introduce legislation requiring medical professionals be mask free.
Governor? Delusions of grandeur for sure.

Comment by Flexible One Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 7:22 pm
=== I’m sure the old man would be more than fine with it, but I doubt it would come to that. Cubs fans will be mollified when they trot out Laura===

You just described the Bruce and Diana Rauner playbook.

The dad’s emails will be fun.

:)

Should be fun. Be well

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 9, 20 @ 7:29 pm