Republican former Illinois state senator launches 2026 gubernatorial run

Published September 25, 2025 5:31pm ET



Republican Darren Bailey launched his second Illinois gubernatorial run on Thursday.

Bailey lost to incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker (D) in 2022 while he was a state senator. He recently ran in the Republican primary for Illinois’ 12th Congressional District, but also lost narrowly to incumbent Rep. Mike Bost (R).

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.