Chicago City Wire

Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) recently joined Chicago Republicans at their "Rise Up for Change" event. 

"Last night I was with a fired-up crowd at the Chicago GOP Rise Up for Change Event!" Bailey posted on Facebook. "This was an awesome night with passionate people who are working to better the future of our state. Our movement is building momentum as voters across the state see the impact of Pritzker's failed policies on our state. More crime. More violence. More taxes. More spending. More corruption. This is JB Pritzker's legacy."

On its website, the Chicago Republican Party says it "represents a broad diversity of people in the city, across geographical, racial, ethnic, and economic divides." The site also says the organization is committed to serving people over politics. 

“What ties us together is the core belief that the people can govern themselves," the website reads. "It is the same belief that drew the founders to create this nation. We believe that [the] government has become too large and powerful. We believe that in this city, the people have been forced to serve the government, not the other way around. We believe that taxes and fees are too high, and there are altogether too many interests with their hands in our pockets. We believe that the deeply corrupt Democratic machine must end. We believe that it is wrong to use public resources to fund private political campaigns. We believe that the Democrat Party, which has held power in the city for many years, has failed to educate our children. We believe that the people, not those who hold power, should be in charge. And finally, we believe that the Republican Party should devote attention to the needs of those who live in urban areas.”

Bailey recently rented a downtown apartment in Chicago to "to immerse myself in the culture," Bailey said, according to WGN9. 

Bailey recently held a press conference in Chicago to discuss the city's increasing crime incidents.

“J.B. Pritzker, Lori Lightfoot, and Kim Foxx are personally responsible for this,” Bailey said, referring to the city's crime rate, Chicago City Wire reported. “Soon all of Illinois will look like Chicago, like a scene from a horror film come to life.” 

Both the number of shootings and other crimes has risen in Chicago and is breaching over into the surrounding suburbs. Murder rates have recently reached unprecedented heights. In 2022 burglaries, thefts, and motor thefts saw increases of 33%, 61%, and 45% respectively, according to Chicago Sun-Times.

Former House Speaker Michael Madigan is under indictment for his part in a $150 million bribery scandal involving energy provider ComEd. Despite resigning from the General Assembly and as the chairman of the state’s Democrat party and currently facing 22 counts of public corruption, Madigan, a Southside resident, opponents say he has continued to impact state politics.

The city’s political culture is significant in its contribution to the early career of President Barack Obama who, as a member of the General Assembly was in contact with Madigan and directly reported to then-Senate President Emil Jones. Jones was later involved in the scandal regarding Obama’s empty U.S. Senate seat for which Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to prison. Jones is accused of stopping ethics legislation aimed at Blagojevich. In return, he was to receive an appointment to Obama’s seat which never came to fruition, Chicago Tribune wrote.