Darren Bailey

A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign.

The Republican primary in the state’s most conservative congressional district is between two candidates who were endorsed by former President Donald Trump in separate races two years ago.

Former GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey is cozying up to Donald Trump as Bailey considers challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost. “What President Trump went through yesterday could happen to anyone [sic] of us for any reason!” Bailey wrote on Wednesday.

While results are not official until certified by the Illinois State Board of Elections on Dec. 5, the Associated Press called the race for Gov. JB Pritzker instantly upon closure of the polls at 7 p.m.

Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey stopped in Bloomington on Saturday, campaigning alongside many other GOP candidates just days ahead of the election.

It was the second and final debate between the two gubernatorial hopefuls Tuesday night, and both came prepared for combat, ready to dish it out — and not take any of the other’s jabs lying down.

Some 37% of downstate voters polled viewed Pritzker favorably — that’s higher than Bailey’s downstate favorability numbers.

In the fast-paced televised debate ahead of the November election, the governor and state senator traded barbs while ducking questions.

The GOP nominee for governor gained fame as the voice of opposition on cultural issues — gun rights, abortion — at the statehouse. But he passed few bills of his own.

Illinois State University in Normal will host the first debate between Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican challenger Darren Bailey.