Illinois Governor Race: Dabrowski and Bailey Outline Plans at Marion County GOP Dinner
Two Republican candidates vying to unseat incumbent Governor J.B. Pritzker addressed the Marion County Republican Women’s Ronald Reagan Tribute Dinner yesterday, outlining their platforms focused on affordability and reform.
Ted Dabrowski, a policy analyst with the Illinois Policy Institute and Wirepoints, stated his campaign will center on making Illinois more affordable. “For the last fifteen years, I’ve been fighting against these taxes that keep going higher, the losses of jobs that we’re having and companies leaving,” Dabrowski said. He pledged to appoint a commission to investigate the allocation of $16 billion added to the state budget since Pritzker took office, and prioritize cuts to property and gas taxes, as well as reducing the number of governmental units – currently the highest in the nation. State Senator Jason Plummer is heading Dabrowski’s campaign, stating he believes Dabrowski is a “dynamic leader.”
Darren Bailey, challenging Pritzker for a second time, focused on tax relief and education reform. “We’ve got to start rolling back the property tax,” Bailey said, promising a detailed plan within a month. He also introduced his running mate, Aaron Del Mar, currently Cook County Republican Party Chair and Palatine Township Road Commissioner, who vowed to remove agency heads involved in mismanagement and address issues within the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Del Mar highlighted the deaths of 2,200 children under DCFS care during Pritzker’s tenure, claiming Bailey would address this “on day 1.” This comes as Illinois faces ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining residents due to its high tax burden.
Also speaking at the event was Brian Drew, a candidate for State Comptroller, who emphasized the office’s role in overseeing the state’s $55 billion budget. “I’ll know where all the waste is, and I’ll be able to expose the fraud,” Drew said, referencing his past legal challenges against Governor Pritzker regarding COVID-19 restrictions and an assault weapons ban. You can learn more about the role of a State Comptroller here. Around 200 people attended the dinner, which also featured other Republican candidates for state and county offices.
Candidates indicated they will continue campaigning throughout the state, hoping to gain traction against the well-funded Pritzker campaign.
