WMAY’s Patrick Pfingsten reports in his The Illinoize newsletter this morning that 2022 Republican gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey is “seriously considering” running again in 2026.
Bailey served a single term in the House and Senate before entering the race for Governor in 2022. He won the GOP primary with around 58% of the vote but lost to Governor JB Pritzker by about 13 points three years ago.
Sources say Bailey seriously began considering jumping in the race in the last couple of weeks. There’s no clear timeline for Bailey to make a decision.
The only major Republican in the race for Governor is DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick. A handful of other candidates have also expressed interest in the race.
Governor Pritzker is seeking to become the first Illinois Democrat ever to be elected to a third term.
