SE Illinois News

Political novice Darren Bailey pulled off a stunning upset win over Rep. David Reis (R-Willow Hill) in the GOP primary in the 109th District.

With nearly all 159 precincts reporting, Bailey had garnered 9,718 votes, or 56.8 percent, to Reis' 7,399 votes (43.2 percent).

Throughout his campaign, Bailey, a farmer from Xenia, talked about having no agenda and being motivated by the need to save the state. He vowed that he wouldn’t take a pension and would donate at least $20,000 of his salary to local charities.  

Rep. David Reis

“I have no agenda and nothing to gain from this other than being able to pave the way for my seven grandchildren to be in a position to have the option of calling Illinois home going forward,” he told SE Illinois News. “The welfare of my grandchildren and my workers – those are the motivations (that) fueled my run for Springfield.”

Bailey had accused Reis of being a machine-politician and of interjecting dirty politics into their race.

“All he has is negativity and spreading falsehoods,” Bailey said. “Even now with the state having enacted this crazy budget and Springfield being as dysfunctional as it is, he still says he wouldn’t do anything differently. People are disgusted by his lack of integrity.”

In the end, Bailey said his campaign was all about putting government back in the hands of the people.

 “I know it’s a message many of them don’t want to hear, but it’s time to relinquish everything back to the people and serve out their will,” he said.