Darren Bailey
Darren Bailey (Republican Party) was a member of the Illinois State Senate, representing District 55. He assumed office on January 13, 2021. He left office on January 11, 2023.
Bailey (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 12th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on March 19, 2024.
Bailey served as State Representative for Illinois House of Representatives District 109 from 2019-2021, and as State Senator for Illinois State Senate District 55 from 2021-2023.
Biography
Darren Bailey was born and lives in Louisville, Illinois. Bailey graduated from North Clay High School. He earned an associate degree in agricultural production from Lake Land College.[1][2][3]
Bailey's career experience includes owning Bailey Family Farm, working as a farmer, and in trucking and excavating. He has been a member of the North Clay School Board, the Farm Bureau, the Illinois State Rifle Association, the Fellowship of Christian Farmers, and the Illinois Independent Business Federation.[1][2][3]
Elections
2024
See also: Illinois' 12th Congressional District election, 2024
Illinois' 12th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Democratic primary)
Illinois' 12th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Republican primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Illinois District 12
Incumbent Mike Bost and Brian Roberts are running in the general election for U.S. House Illinois District 12 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Mike Bost (R) | |
 | Brian Roberts (D) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 12
Brian Roberts defeated Preston Nelson in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 12 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brian Roberts | 60.1 | 10,775 |
 | Preston Nelson | 39.9 | 7,151 | |
| Total votes: 17,926 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Joshua Qualls (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 12
Incumbent Mike Bost defeated Darren Bailey in the Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 12 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Bost | 51.4 | 48,770 |
 | Darren Bailey | 48.6 | 46,035 | |
| Total votes: 94,805 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Bailey received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
- U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R)
- U.S. Rep. Mary Miller (R)
2022
See also: Illinois gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022
General election
General election for Governor of Illinois
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Illinois on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | J.B. Pritzker (D) | 54.9 | 2,253,748 |
| Darren Bailey (R) | 42.4 | 1,739,095 | |
 | Scott Mitchell Schluter (L) | 2.7 | 111,712 | |
 | Emily Johnson (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 28 | |
 | Shon-Tiyon Horton (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 28 | |
| Elizabeth Sebesta (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 18 | |
| Total votes: 4,104,629 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Mancow Muller (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois
Incumbent J.B. Pritzker defeated Beverly Miles in the Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | J.B. Pritzker | 91.9 | 810,989 |
 | Beverly Miles | 8.1 | 71,704 | |
| Total votes: 882,693 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Illinois
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Illinois on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Bailey | 57.5 | 458,102 |
 | Jesse Sullivan | 15.7 | 125,094 | |
 | Richard Irvin | 15.0 | 119,592 | |
 | Gary Rabine | 6.5 | 52,194 | |
 | Paul Schimpf | 4.4 | 34,676 | |
 | Max Solomon | 0.9 | 7,371 | |
| Total votes: 797,029 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Keisha Smith (R)
- Christopher Roper (R)
- Cheryl Erickson (R)
- Emily Johnson (R)
2020
See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Illinois State Senate District 55
Darren Bailey defeated Cynthia Given in the general election for Illinois State Senate District 55 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Bailey (R) | 76.7 | 78,010 |
| Cynthia Given (D) | 23.3 | 23,726 | |
| Total votes: 101,736 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Illinois State Senate District 55
Darren Bailey defeated Jeff Fleming in the Republican primary for Illinois State Senate District 55 on March 17, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Bailey | 77.0 | 24,572 |
| Jeff Fleming | 23.0 | 7,324 | |
| Total votes: 31,896 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for Illinois House of Representatives District 109
Darren Bailey defeated Cynthia Given in the general election for Illinois House of Representatives District 109 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Bailey (R) | 76.1 | 30,048 |
| Cynthia Given (D) | 23.9 | 9,417 | |
| Total votes: 39,465 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 109
Cynthia Given advanced from the Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 109 on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cynthia Given | 100.0 | 3,572 |
| Total votes: 3,572 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 109
Darren Bailey defeated incumbent David Reis in the Republican primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 109 on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Bailey | 56.8 | 9,729 |
 | David Reis | 43.2 | 7,411 | |
| Total votes: 17,140 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Darren Bailey did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Darren Bailey did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Bailey's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Reopening the Economy & Schools In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Darren led the charge against sweeping executive orders that shuttered Illinois businesses, collapsed the economy, and deprived hardworking Illinoisans of their livelihoods. A complete return to normalcy is a top priority for Darren. As Governor, he will work to fully reopen the economy and our schools, attract new business, and fuel job creation in Illinois.
As a man of faith, Darren is proudly pro-life and will always stand up to protect the rights of the unborn. Darren believes in the sanctity of life, and as a state legislator, voted against the extreme overhaul and expansion of abortion access in Illinois. Darren opposes state and taxpayer funding of abortions. As Governor, he will continue to defend innocent life.
Darren is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and an advocate for the constitutional right to bear arms. In the Illinois State Senate, Darren voted against sweeping gun control legislation. Darren is an advocate on behalf of gun owners in Illinois and believes that education is crucial for those opposed to gun rights. As an avid outdoorsman himself, he is a proud member of both the National Rifle Association and the Illinois State Rifle Association, as well as Guns Save Life. As Governor, he will continue to protect the Second Amendment.
Darren, along with his wife, founded a preschool through grade 12 Christian school in southern Illinois and he understands the importance of access to quality education. Darren served for 17 years on the North Clay Unit 25 Board of Education–12 years as board president–and knows the challenges faced by public schools in Illinois. He is currently a member of the Education Committee in the Illinois State Senate, where he works to find responsible solutions to education funding gaps across the state. As Governor, he will advocate for common sense education reforms that put our children first.
Darren firmly believes in fiscal responsibility and knows that every penny matters. Raising taxes hurts hardworking Illinois families and is not a solution for a state with some of the highest tax burdens in the entire nation. In the state legislature, Darren has fought against tax hikes and reckless spending and advocated for more business-friendly policies. As Governor, he will work to lower both property and income taxes.
Darren is a third-generation farmer who owns and operates his own family farm today. He knows that agriculture is the backbone of Illinois’ economy and understands firsthand the issues facing the industry. In the Illinois State Senate, Darren serves as the lead Republican on the Agriculture Committee, shaping policies that help support one of America’s oldest and most valuable occupations. As Governor, he will stand up for his fellow, hardworking farmers.
Darren Bailey fights for the working people, not the political elites. As a legislator, he refuses state pension benefits and believes that perks for elected officials only contribute to wasteful spending problems. Darren strongly supports and advocates for term limits to prevent career politicians from advancing their own agendas, rather than what is best for Illinois. As Governor, he will promote transparency and ensure safeguards against powerful government overreach.[4] |
” |
| —Darren Bailey's campaign website (2022)[5] | ||
2020
Darren Bailey did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Bailey was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture Committee, Minority Spokesperson
- Education Committee
- Energy and Public Utilities Committee
- Behavioral and Mental Health
- Senate Higher Education Committee
- Labor Committee
2021-2022
Bailey was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture Committee, Minority Spokesperson
- Education Committee
- Energy and Public Utilities Committee
- Senate Higher Education Committee
- Labor Committee
2019-2020
Bailey was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture & Conservation Committee
- Appropriations-Human Services Committee
- Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter School
- Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Committee
- Energy & Environment Committee
- Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education Committee
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Illinois scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023
In 2023, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 11 to May 27.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on votes on bills affecting real estate and private property.
2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 5 to April 9.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 13 to June 1.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 to May 23.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 31.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House Illinois District 12 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Darren Bailey", "About," accessed March 28, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Bailey for Illinois", "Meet Darren Bailey," accessed March 28, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Illinois General Assembly, "Senator Darren Bailey (R) Biography," accessed July 22, 2022
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Bailey for Illinois, “Issues,” accessed June 7, 2022
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dale Righter (R) |
Illinois State Senate District 55 2021-2023 |
Succeeded by Jason Plummer (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Illinois House of Representatives District 109 2019-2021 |
Succeeded by Adam Niemerg (R) |
