Illinois' Republican gubernatorial candidates focus on law and order

[January 27, 2022]  By Greg Bishop

(The Center Square) – From proposing legislation to pumping out TV ads, a clear issue Republicans are raising in this year's gubernatorial election is law and order.

State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, filed legislation Wednesday that would enhance penalties for convicted cop killers. He said he supports any bill that protects first responders.

“I’m supportive of absolutely anything up and to the full repeal of these egregious acts that were committed over a year ago in Springfield,” Bailey said at a Wednesday news conference.

Bailey and other Republicans have been critical of the sweeping law impacting various aspects of criminal justice that majority Democrats passed along party lines in 2021.

In separate TV ads, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin and Jess Sullivan said they’d bring about more support for law enforcement if they were elected governor.

“I know corrupt warzones torn apart from violence, but this isn’t Afghanistan, this is Chicago,” Sullivan said in a TV ad. “I’ve got a plan. Defend our police, not defund them. And take the cuffs off our cops and put them back on criminals.”

Courtesy of state Rep. Darren Bailey

“If you come to our community wrecking havoc, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” Irvin said in a separate TV ad for his campaign. “We will not put up with this B.S. and foolishness, this I guarantee.”

Bailey, Sullivan and Irvin face several other Republican gubernatorial candidates in the primary.

Last week, incumbent Gov. J.B. Pritzker downplayed the critics.

“They’re trying to create some sort of campaign issue for 2022,” Pritzker said. “The truth is that the SAFE-T Act and Democrats who voted for the SAFE-T Act are all about keeping people safe from violent crime.”

Pritzker said Republicans have to get through a primary.

“They’ve got a lot of candidates,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker could face a primary from Democratic candidate Beverly Miles, a Chicago-area nurse.

The primary is June 28. The midterm general election is in November.