Chicago City Wire

Gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey comments on Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's endorsement of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, slamming her by saying he will be a better leader for Chicagoans.

"Birds of the same feather flock together," Bailey said. "Lori Lightfoot is pulling for J.B. Pritzker because she knows I am not going to sit on the sidelines and let her continue to destroy the City of Chicago with her terrible policies. She won’t be able to continue to maintain the status quo. Lori Lightfoot knows I will use the power of state government to do what she simply is incapable of doing which is to protect the citizens of Chicago."

In a joint appearance with Pritzker in Chicago's South Side, Lightfoot gave his support. Bailey, who has criticized both Lightfoot and Pritzker, was the subject of Lightfoot's remarks, The Center Square reported. Many people are worried about Lightfoot's track record of allowing crime to take over the city. Meanwhile, the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police has given Bailey their support.

Possible GOP mayoral challenger and Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara said Chicago has been diminished due to crime problems under Lightfoot and Pritzker. 

“If people don't understand that, that drives everything that goes on in this city," Catanzara said on Chicago’s Morning Answer, Chicago City Wire reported. "Tax revenue, people fleeing the city, everything around it comes from public safety and perception. You know, there's this terrorism nonsense about we're going to get back to 24 by 2024, that are our all-time high to get the violence under control. You lost downtown more than it's ever been lost before. And I'm not sure what you do to get it back at this point without a wholesale change at the top of the police department and the political structure in the city.” 

According to polling, the Democratic Party is becoming less popular as a result of the leadership problem with crime. According to a Tulchin Research survey conducted earlier this year, Governor J.B. Pritzker is behind GOP candidates in an unnamed Chicago suburb. The respondents' top concern was crime, West Cook News earlier reported.