Exclusive: Interview with the IL gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey

You asked - I listened. Questions for Darren Bailey, an Illinois gubernatorial candidate

By Natalia Dagenhart

I wrote an article about Darren Bailey, an Illinois gubernatorial candidate, after meeting him at one of his campaign events on February 24. It was a great experience. His every statement was enthusiastically received by people who want Illinois to become a great state again and who support Darren and his plans for our state. These plans include lowering income and property taxes, reopening the Illinois' economy and creating jobs, protecting the Second Amendment, and fighting for the unborn.

I received some comments after publishing that article on my website and after sharing it with Illinois Review (Patch removed it without any explanation), so conducting a phone interview and asking Darren questions from my readers seemed to be the right thing to do.

Q. Dear Mr. Bailey, it's my pleasure to interview you today. I would like to ask you a few questions to make sure that your future voters clearly understand your platform. In your opinion, what is the biggest problem in Illinois and how can it be fixed?

A. Our biggest problem is the corruption and lack of accountability of government in our state. Every problem we have today is based on decisions made by both parties in the past. But many Illinois residents have been complacent and apathetic for too long, and we continue to vote for the same people who have created our problems. A few years ago, I was elected as State Representative for the 109th District, and in 2020 I was elected as Senator for the 55th District. Prior to that, I spent my entire life farming and investing in my family and community.

I have 10 grandchildren, and I realized how their future looks bad in Illinois and started to get involved in politics to keep them in this state. I began to learn about corruption and what is going on in Illinois. As I did that, I began to discuss these problems with the people within my influence, and they would do the same. As we discuss and get educated on the issues, we can understand the problems, and then we can begin to work on the solutions. The Democrats in this state believe that we have revenue problems, meaning that we just need more money and more taxes to solve problems. Most Republicans agree that we have a spending problem. We need to spend our money better and more efficiently. In order to make these changes and get the government back on track, people have to get involved in the process. We need to start working with people to make sure that our friends, family, and neighbors register to vote, get educated on the issues, and show up to vote. We allow bad actors to pass bad rules and laws. Until recently, our leaders have not been accountable, and that's what has to be changed. And as your next Governor, I will help drive a new level of transparency and government accountability.

Q. Illinois has both urban and rural areas, and obviously there should be different approaches to developing those areas. As a farmer, you have a clear understanding of how to develop rural Illinois and help local farmers keep their businesses afloat despite the current situation with the pandemic. But what about urban areas? Do you have plans for Chicago? And if yes, what are they?

A. Well, there is a simple answer - communication, communication, and communication. In my opinion, it's not urban versus rural. It's more diverse than that, and treating different areas as such is not beneficial. There is no one-size-fits-all proposal. Different regions of the state should be governed differently - southern, central, eastern, and northeastern. Illinois has a plan written years ago - the Illinois emergency management agency act - each county and local authority deal with their problems separately the way they deem necessary. Local officials and residents know what is best for their communities and families. The state's role should be to communicate, educate, and help provide counties and local communities with the resources they need.

Q. If you are elected, besides the long-term problems that our state has been facing for a while, you will have to face a crisis created by the coronavirus pandemic. Many people lost their jobs, children were out of school for a year, and many of us feel depressed, lost and hopeless. What is your plan to get out of this crisis?

A. If I were Governor, I would never unilaterally shut down the state, close the schools, and destroy businesses. We need to put people back to work. We get extra revenue from people working and paying taxes. Illinois is not business friendly. We need to change that to make Illinois a more competitive climate to attract businesses. We need to make it easier for companies to invest, grow, and create good-paying jobs. When we do that, we put people to work. When people go to work, they make money. And when they make money, they pay taxes and spend locally. That's how we build the economy, not by taking more taxes from those currently working, but by creating more opportunities.

Q. As Illinois governor, would you mandate a coronavirus vaccine?

A. Absolutely not. The government's role is to educate and advise. When the government starts mandating and forcing people and telling them what to do - we have problems.

Q. Do you think that it would be fair for Illinois employers to request their employees to get vaccinated in order to keep their job? What about schools? Should they mandate a coronavirus vaccine?

A. Absolutely not. I am adamantly opposed to that.

Q. Many states are opening up. Would you open Illinois? Should we open concert halls, opera houses, and other cultural institutions?

A. Yes, I would never have closed them. If the government advises and lets people choose, people have their own choice of where to go and what to do.

Q. Would you lower income and property taxes? Is it possible to freeze spending without tax increases and if yes, how?

A. Yes. It is possible. I would implement what's called "A Zero-based budget." That means that every agency starts with zero and has to build a case for every dollar spent. For years, we continually renew the budget. It gets renewed, and more dollars get added. Regarding property taxes, the government has too many unfunded mandates and regulations on our schools and municipalities. And because of that, they have to raise property taxes. If the state government does away with many unnecessary mandates and regulations, then county governments should be able to lower property taxes.

Q. Please, point out what are the differences between you and other Republican candidates. What are the differences between your beliefs and what you stand for, versus your Republican gubernatorial challengers such as Mr. Schimpf? What makes each of you different from each other?

A. I am the only person in this race who has continuously stood for the people. I sued the Governor a year ago for his unilateral lockdowns, and no one else has done anything about his failed policies. I have been outspoken against the Governor and his policies since day one of this pandemic. Anyone can send a press release, but I listened and took action when people needed help. As the next Governor, I will listen to the people's concerns, stand up for what is right, and work to ensure a better future for children and grandchildren.

There is nothing else to add to these words. Each and every one of us wants a beautiful future for our children. Darren Bailey knows how to achieve that. It's time to put things in order in Illinois - for our children, for their smiles and happy eyes. They deserve that.

Natalia Dagenhart

April 14, 2021