Prairie State Wire

Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey has a clear vision of what he wants to bring to Springfield from the Governor’s Mansion.

“It’s time Springfield stopped trying to control people’s lives and started working to make them better,” tweeted Bailey, now seeking the GOP nomination for governor. “I’ve been in this fight--- standing for you and our future in Illinois. And I can promise you that I’m not backing down. Our home is worth fighting to restore.”

According to the East Central Reporter, Bailey said much of his platform centers on creating greater educational and economic opportunities for all. In hopes of being able to bring it all together, he recently put out a call for interns to work on his campaign.

“Friends, our team is expanding as our movement is growing every single day,” he added in another tweet. “Please share with those interested in gaining valuable experience while helping our campaign to restore Illinois.”

By all indications, Bailey figures to like the flow of things for now, including a recent Ogden & Fry poll that pegged his overall support among Republicans in the primary field at 33%, more than five times his nearest competitor and more support than challengers Jesse Sullivan (6%), Gary Rabine (5%) and former state Sen. Paul Schimpf (3%) combined, the Prairie State Wire reported.

Bailey has long been an outspoken critic of the governor’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, at one point suing the administration over its stay-at-home order. According to the SE Illinois News, the Democratic Governors Association recently blasted him and the other three Republican candidates as “anti-science.”

Team Bailey wasted little time dismissing the attack as more political posturing.

"It is clear that the Democratic Governors Association is terrified about Darren Bailey," his campaign posted on its Twitter page. "They know JB is vulnerable, and they see our campaign as the top contender to defeat him next November.”