Illinois Family Action announced on Feb. 19, 2026, that it will not endorse Darren Bailey’s campaign for Illinois governor due to concerns about his choice of running mate, Aaron Del Mar. The organization cited issues related to Del Mar’s personal conduct as the primary reason for withholding support.
The decision marks a significant shift for Illinois Family Action (IFA), which had previously supported Bailey in past campaigns. According to David E. Smith, executive director of IFA, “The Illinois Family Action (IFA) board had hoped to once again endorse Darren Bailey in his campaign for governor. However, his choice of running mate makes that impossible… Multiple members of the IFA board and staff raised serious concerns directly with Darren Bailey about Aaron Del Mar… We are aware of dozens of committed Christians who also warned Darren about Aaron’s reputation. Regrettably, those concerns were ignored… Our primary objection to Aaron Del Mar is rooted in character and conduct.” According to Smith, “Aaron Del Mar is a non-starter, and his presence on the ticket prevents our endorsement.”
Darren Bailey launched his 2026 bid for Illinois governor on Sept. 25, 2025, at a Bloomington kickoff event where he named Cook County GOP chair Aaron Del Mar as his running mate. As reported by NPR Illinois, coverage highlighted Bailey’s promise of a “different approach” from 2022 and described Del Mar as a key partner for outreach to Chicago-area voters. Illinois Family Action has since declined to endorse the ticket.
According to IFA’s published roster of endorsements for the 2026 primary election, the group said it cannot support Aaron Del Mar because, in its view, his personal conduct—including allegedly fathering six children with three women and cohabiting outside marriage—conflicts with its biblical standards for family and leadership. The organization said this reflects poor judgment and undermines moral credibility; instead of endorsing Bailey’s ticket, IFA named Ted Dabrowski as its choice for governor.
Under Illinois election law, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run together on a joint ticket in both the primary and general elections—a system implemented in 2014—which links the running mate’s record and character directly to the top of the ticket. This explains why organizations like IFA consider both candidates when making endorsements.
Smith serves as executive director of both Illinois Family Institute (a nonprofit) and Illinois Family Action (a political advocacy group). He has led IFI since 2006 and is publicly listed as executive director for IFA as well.
