New poll has Bailey with significant lead over Irvin in Illinois GOP governor primary

[June 11, 2022]  By Greg Bishop | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – With a little more than two weeks before the June 28 primary election, a new front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination for Illinois governor has emerged.

There are six candidates vying to be the GOP nominee. Friday, a Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ poll indicates state Sen. Darren Bailey is in the lead with 32% of support from about 680 polled.

“We have a double digit lead over our nearest competitor, which is twice, two times, what our nearest competitor is and it’s because of your hard work,” Bailey said in a Facebook video. “It’s because of all of our work ethic. That’s what’s going to change Illinois.”

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who led in earlier polls before trailing in one released earlier this week, had 17% support. He said Friday a lot can change in two weeks.

“What hasn’t changed is J.B. Pritzker’s decision to spend tens of millions of dollars in the Republican primary, meddling in the Republican primary, to take me down, to take our team down, because he knows if we face him in the general, we will beat him,” Irvin said.

Irvin said “a vote for Darren Bailey is a vote for J.B. Pritzker.”

“Why is he spending just as much money to prop Darren Bailey up? Because he’s trying to choose the Republican candidate that he faces in the general, one that he knows he can beat,” Irvin said. “I’ll say it again. A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote to reelect J.B. Pritzker.”

About 27% of those polled were still undecided. Bailey said his message is what will bring about change to Illinois.

“Something different is on the horizon and that we can never and will never go back to where Illinois has just come over these past four, three-and-a-half years under a tyrannical man, J.B. Pritzker’s control,” Bailey said.

Jesse Sullivan received 11% support in the latest poll; Gary Rabine received 6%; Paul Schimpf was at 4%; and Max Solomon 2%.

Regionally, Bailey led Irvin 29% to 21% in suburban Cook County. Twenty-one percent were not sure. Downstate, Bailey held a commanding lead over Irvin, 38% to 14% with about 28% percent not sure.

The economy leads in areas of concern with 44%. Crime and corruption garnered 11% each. Taxes were 10%, followed by Second Amendment issues (9%), abortion (8%), something else/not sure (5%), education (2%) and COVID-19 mitigations (1%).

Pritzker, who faces a Democratic primary from Beverly Miles, said Friday he’d face anyone from the other side of the aisle.

Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of award-winning broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning Newsfeed out of Springfield.