By SARA BURNETT, Related Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Republicans on Tuesday selected conservative state Sen. Darren Bailey to tackle Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire who simply received the Democratic nomination and who spent hundreds of thousands attempting to get the rival he needs and enhance his already sizable benefit within the state this fall.
Bailey, who defeated 5 different Republicans to win the nomination, is a farmer and staunch abortion opponent who obtained former President Donald Trump’s endorsement Saturday.
Pritzker instantly framed the race as a referendum on the previous president, who Illinois voters twice rejected by double digits. Taking the stage at his victory celebration, Pritzker instructed the gang, “I will beat Donald Trump’s candidate for governor, Darren Bailey.”
“Let me be clear, somebody who seeks out and accepts the endorsement of a racist, misogynistic, homophobic, xenophobic, twice-impeached former president doesn’t deserve to return anyplace close to this state’s highest workplace,” Pritzker mentioned from a lodge in Chicago.
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Bailey raised his statewide profile throughout the pandemic by opposing Pritzker’s COVID-19 measures. He sued Pritzker over a stay-at-home order the governor issued, and was escorted off the ground of the Legislature for refusing to put on a masks.
On Tuesday, Bailey criticized “elites” like Pritzker, the GOP institution and others who say he can’t win in November. He pledged to outwork his opponent and rise up for normal, working folks throughout Illinois.
“We had been outspent by tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} within the major and look what occurred tonight. That is the way it’s carried out,” Bailey mentioned.
He later added, “Right here’s a tip and a few recommendation for J.B. Pritzker: Begin packing, buddy, as a result of on Nov. 8, you’re fired.”
Pritzker, an inheritor to the Hyatt lodge fortune who’s in search of his second time period, and the Democratic Governors Affiliation spent closely on promoting to assist Bailey win the GOP major, together with with adverts noting he’s “100% pro-life.” Whereas these messages have raised Bailey’s standing with Republican voters, they’re more likely to harm him in a normal election in a spot the place Democrats management all statewide places of work and Trump misplaced handily.
Republican Richard Irvin, a former prosecutor who was the primary Black mayor of Illinois’ second-largest metropolis, was seen as a prime candidate when he joined the race, with monetary backing from billionaire Ken Griffin. Irvin argued that he was the one GOP candidate who may beat Pritzker in November as a result of he may win votes from Republicans, independents and a few Democrats. However regardless of Griffin sinking $50 million into Irvin’s marketing campaign, he was broken by repeated assaults from his rivals, together with Pritzker.
In contrast to the opposite GOP candidates, Irvin averted speaking about whether or not he voted for Trump. The mayor of Aurora as an alternative centered on points similar to crime in Chicago and laws signed by Pritzker that he mentioned made policing tougher. He mentioned he opposes abortion besides in circumstances of rape or incest or to guard the lifetime of the mom.
In a concession speech Tuesday, Irvin criticized Pritzker’s “meddling” within the major and wished Bailey properly within the normal election.
“Hear, I hope this governor is mistaken in his evaluation that he can simply defeat the opponent he paid tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to face. But when this governor is appropriate and if he does simply prevail, we as residents should stand up,” Irvin mentioned.
Tim Zink, a 70-year-old retiree, wore a Nationwide Rifle Affiliation T-shirt as he forged his poll within the northern Illinois city of McHenry for Bailey.
“I identical to the way in which he stands on nearly every part,” Zink mentioned. He added that he did not belief Irvin, whom he known as “two-faced” and “mates with Pritzker.”
Joe Berstein, from the northern Chicago suburb of Highland Park, voted for Pritzker: “To this point I believe he’s doing a superb job.”
The opposite Republican candidates are enterprise proprietor Gary Rabine, enterprise capitalist Jesse Sullivan, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf and legal professional Max Solomon.
Pritzker defeated a a lot lesser-known rival, Beverly Miles, for the nomination.
Related Press/Report for America reporter Claire Savage contributed to this report.
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