Bailey to stay in governor’s race following family tragedy
[November 12, 2025]
By Brenden Moore
SPRINGFIELD — Less than three weeks after a helicopter crash claimed the
lives of his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, Darren Bailey
said late Monday that he will move forward with his campaign for
governor.
“After a lot of prayer and reflection, Cindy and I have decided we’re
staying in this race for governor — not for politics, but for every
family trying to make it in a state that’s lost its way, for every
parent who dreams of a better future for their children and for every
Illinoisan who knows that we can do better,” Bailey said in a nearly
three-minute video recorded with his wife and posted to his social media
accounts.
Bailey said he received encouragement from President Donald Trump to
“keep fighting” and stay in the race. “That’s exactly what we’re going
to do,” he said.
“So I’m asking you: stand with us, pray with us, fight with us,” Bailey
said, grasping his wife Cindy’s hand. “Together, we can bring back
common sense, honesty and leadership that serves real people again.
Together, we will save Illinois’ future.”
Bailey’s second campaign for governor had been in doubt after his son
Zachary, daughter-in-law Kelsey and two grandchildren, 12-year-old Vada
Rose and 7-year-old Samuel, died when the helicopter Zachary was
piloting crashed in Montana on Oct. 22. The couple’s 10-year-old son,
Finn, was not on board at the time.
The crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety
Board.
‘Hardest days of our lives’
The campaign filed petitions in late October to secure a spot on the
March 17 primary ballot, but running mate Aaron Del Mar told reporters
at the time that Bailey was “taking time to think” about whether to
proceed with the campaign.
Bailey, a farmer and former state legislator, won the 2022 GOP
gubernatorial nomination but lost the general election to Democratic
Gov. JB Pritzker by nearly 13 percentage points. He later unsuccessfully
challenged U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, in 2024, losing that
primary election by under 3,000 votes.
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Bailey’s son Zachary, his daughter-in-law Kelsey and two
grandchildren, 12-year-old Vada Rose and 7-year-old Samuel, died
when the helicopter. The couple’s 10-year-old son, Finn, center, was
not on board at the time. (Courtesy Bailey campaign)
With high name recognition among Republican voters, Bailey starts as the
favorite in the 2026 primary against six lesser-known candidates. They
include former conservative thinktank executive Ted Dabrowski, video
gambling tycoon Rick Heidner and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick.
Pritzker is seeking a third term as the state’s chief executive.
Bailey acknowledged that the past few weeks “have been the hardest days
of our lives,” but that he and his wife had been lifted by the many
well-wishes and their evangelical faith.
He said the tragedy changed their lives forever, “but it also reminded
us why we fight.” His late son and daughter-in-law, he said, “believed
in an Illinois where families could build a future without being crushed
by bad government and broken promises.”
“We’ve all been through tough times,” Bailey said. “But what makes
Illinois special are the people who don’t quit, the ones who work hard,
help their neighbors and believe tomorrow can be better. That’s who I’m
fighting for.”
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