DB
Darren Bailey
Republican · Governor, Illinois
2026 General Election
Darren Bailey is the 2026 Republican nominee for Governor of Illinois, having won the party's primary. He lost the 2022 governor's race to incumbent JB Pritzker by more than 13 points. A farmer from Xenia in Clay County, he served in the Illinois state legislature and built a conservative political identity centered on opposition to Chicago-centric policies, lower taxes, and social conservatism. He received an endorsement from former President Trump in the 2022 cycle.
Views on the Issues
Gov. Bailey’s stated positions alongside Democratic and Republican party platforms. Sources cited below each position. MyPolity does not editorialize.
Democratic Platform
Darren Bailey
Republican Platform
Economy & Taxes
Democratic Platform
Democrats support progressive taxation, with higher rates on top earners and corporations to fund public investment. The party favors raising the minimum wage, strengthening unions, and expanding worker protections. Democrats generally support government investment in infrastructure, education, and social programs as drivers of broad economic growth.Darren Bailey
Bailey supports significant tax cuts, reduced state spending, and rolling back regulations he argues have made Illinois uncompetitive. He is a critic of Illinois's high tax burden and has focused on the exodus of businesses and residents from the state to lower-tax neighbors. He backs a smaller state government and opposes large public spending programs.Republican Platform
Republicans favor lower taxes across income levels, with particular emphasis on cutting corporate and capital gains taxes to stimulate investment and job creation. The party supports deregulation, reduced government spending, and free market solutions over federal programs as the primary engine of prosperity.Healthcare
Democratic Platform
Democrats support expanding access to affordable healthcare, including protecting the Affordable Care Act and moving toward a public option or expanded Medicare coverage. The party broadly favors government negotiation of prescription drug prices and opposes removing protections for pre-existing conditions.Darren Bailey
Bailey opposes government healthcare mandates and supports market-based healthcare reforms. He has been critical of vaccine mandates and state public health directives and supports consumer choice in healthcare. He opposes abortion and has been among the most vocal critics of Illinois's abortion access expansion.Republican Platform
Republicans have generally sought to repeal or significantly reform the Affordable Care Act, favoring market-based solutions. The party supports expanding health savings accounts, increasing competition among insurers across state lines, and reducing federal mandates on coverage requirements.Immigration
Democratic Platform
Democrats generally support pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients, and favor comprehensive immigration reform. The party supports increased resources for legal immigration processing and a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers at the border.Darren Bailey
Bailey supports enforcement-first immigration policies and has been a vocal critic of Illinois's sanctuary policies. He supports cooperation between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement and opposes providing state benefits to undocumented immigrants.Republican Platform
Republicans prioritize border security and strict enforcement of existing immigration law. The party broadly supports completing physical border barriers, ending policies they view as incentivizing illegal entry, and reforming legal immigration to favor applicants with marketable skills.Education
Democratic Platform
Democrats favor robust federal investment in public K-12 education and higher education, along with policies to reduce or eliminate student loan debt. The party generally opposes using public funds for private school vouchers and supports universal pre-K and affordable childcare.Darren Bailey
Bailey supports school choice, parental rights in education, and reducing Chicago's outsized influence on Illinois education policy. He backs expanded charter school options and education savings accounts, and has criticized progressive curriculum content in Illinois public schools. He supports local community control over educational decisions.Republican Platform
Republicans support school choice, including voucher programs for private and religious schools, and local control over curriculum decisions. The party generally opposes federal education mandates and broadly supports parental rights in schooling. Many Republicans oppose student loan forgiveness as unfair to borrowers who repaid their loans.Gun Policy
Democratic Platform
Democrats broadly support stricter gun safety measures, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The party frames these regulations as consistent with the Second Amendment and necessary to reduce mass shootings.Darren Bailey
Bailey is a strong Second Amendment supporter who has opposed gun control legislation in Illinois. He opposed the Protect Illinois Communities Act assault weapons ban and argues Illinois's gun laws infringe on the constitutional rights of law-abiding downstate residents. He supports existing law enforcement over new firearm restrictions.Republican Platform
Republicans strongly defend Second Amendment rights and generally oppose new gun control legislation, arguing that existing laws should be enforced more effectively. The party emphasizes mental health intervention, the right to self-defense, and opposes what they view as infringement on law-abiding gun owners.Climate & Energy
Democratic Platform
Democrats view climate change as an urgent crisis requiring immediate government action. The party supports transitioning to clean energy through federal investment and regulation, reducing carbon emissions across the economy, and meeting international climate commitments. Democrats generally oppose expanding fossil fuel development on public lands.Darren Bailey
Bailey has opposed Illinois's aggressive clean energy mandates, arguing they raise costs for Illinois families and businesses and are economically damaging to downstate agriculture and manufacturing. He supports an energy approach that prioritizes reliability and affordability and has been critical of the state's renewable energy transition timeline.Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize American energy independence through domestic production of oil, gas, and coal alongside renewable development. Many in the party are skeptical of aggressive climate regulations they argue harm economic growth and jobs. Republicans generally prefer market-based energy solutions over government mandates and oppose restrictions that raise energy costs for families.Foreign Policy
Democratic Platform
Democrats generally support a multilateral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing alliances, international institutions, and diplomacy as the first line of engagement. The party broadly supports maintaining NATO commitments, providing aid to democratic allies, and engaging international bodies to address shared challenges.Darren Bailey
Bailey supports a strong U.S. military and an America First foreign policy approach. He backs strong support for Israel and U.S. allies while questioning the scale of foreign aid spending. He engages foreign policy primarily through its effects on Illinois's agriculture export economy, which is significantly affected by international trade policy.Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize American sovereignty, a strong military as a deterrent, and bilateral relationships over multilateral institutions. The party broadly supports robust defense spending and is skeptical of international agreements they view as constraining American action or requiring open-ended foreign commitments.Social Security
Democratic Platform
Democrats oppose cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits and support expanding both programs. The party generally favors raising the Social Security payroll tax cap on high earners to ensure long-term solvency and opposes any form of privatization.Darren Bailey
Bailey supports protecting Social Security and Medicare benefits that Americans have earned. He opposes benefit cuts for current retirees and near-retirees and backs ensuring program solvency through economic growth and spending restraint rather than tax increases.Republican Platform
Republicans support reforming Social Security and Medicare to ensure long-term fiscal solvency, which some in the party argue requires adjusting benefits or eligibility ages. The party opposes tax increases to fund the programs and some members have supported personal investment account options.Criminal Justice
Democratic Platform
Democrats broadly support criminal justice reform, including reducing mandatory minimum sentences, addressing racial disparities in policing and incarceration, and investing in community-based alternatives. The party generally supports police accountability measures and evidence-based approaches to reducing recidivism.Darren Bailey
Bailey has made public safety a signature issue and has been an outspoken critic of Illinois's SAFE-T Act and the elimination of cash bail, arguing these reforms have contributed to rising crime rates. He supports stronger sentencing, increased law enforcement funding, and reversing criminal justice reforms he argues have made Illinois communities less safe.Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize law and order, strong support for law enforcement, and tough penalties for crime. The party generally opposes reducing mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenses and supports prosecutors pursuing strong sentences. Republicans broadly oppose policies they view as undermining police authority or creating leniency for criminals.About these profiles. Party platform positions are drawn from the 2024 Democratic and Republican national platforms. Candidate positions are sourced from official statements, voting records, and campaign websites. MyPolity does not editorialize or endorse any candidate.