Overview
- President Trump publicly renewed his support for Republican Darren Bailey on Monday, praising him as a “very good candidate” and criticizing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s record on crime.
- Bailey attended high-profile RNC events in Dallas and was reported to have sat in the president’s box, a move the Pritzker campaign used to link Bailey closely to Trump.
- Pritzker’s campaign responded by amplifying ties between Bailey and Trump and by asking whether Bailey or his campaign paid for expensive RNC access or donor events.
- If Bailey paid for access, that spending would need to appear in campaign disclosures that are due by Oct. 15, and any payments could reshape outside perceptions of his donor network.
- Bailey has a recent history of aligning with Trump going back to the 2022 cycle, and the endorsement is likely intended to boost fundraising and turnout for Bailey while giving Pritzker a national target to contrast on crime and governance.