Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey promised lower taxes and tougher crime enforcement Tuesday during a campaign stop in Macomb, vowing to reverse what he called years of 'wasteful spending' by the current administration.
Bailey and running mate Aaron Del Mar spoke to a modest crowd at the Old Dairy, framing their campaign around three core issues: affordability, public safety, and education. The visit signals the campaign's push into downstate Illinois, where rural voters have grown increasingly concerned about rising costs and crime.
Bailey said his administration would cut government waste and return money to taxpayers through tax relief, citing property tax increases under the current administration as a key concern for families. On education, Bailey said his administration would fund schools while giving parents and teachers more control over curriculum decisions. The duo emphasized their support for law enforcement during remarks, saying the campaign would stand with police and work to repeal what they called soft-on-crime laws that have made streets less safe.
Bailey's campaign slogan — 'Fighting for the People of Illinois: Faith. Family. Freedom' — anchored both men's remarks.
The stop was Bailey's second visit to McDonough County this year, underscoring the campaign's focus on rural areas where Republican support runs deep but where economic anxiety has grown.
