SE Illinois News

State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) breathes a sigh of relief in seeing some Democrat lawmakers finally honoring the will of the people they’re supposed to represent.

“I think they finally realize it’s time to stand up to Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker and stop him from further destroying this economy, this state, and the lives of all our residents,” Bailey told the SE Illinois News. “Democrats are finally feeling the heat coming from voters and that’s what it will take to return Illinois to restoration."

Bailey rages the governor’s latest actions in reenacting COVID-19 restrictions that include banning indoor bar and restaurant service as infection rates have ticked up only open the door to more destruction.

“I’ve always said the true pandemic in this is the economic and mental ones we’re opening ourselves up to by the way the governor has handled this,” Bailey added. “You can’t just keep shutting down our businesses and expect things to be the same for people. The governor is illegally doing all these things, and as it’s come to impact more and more people I think they’ve had enough.”

With so many small business owners still reeling from the governor’s initial shutdown order, Miller said he almost considers it a dereliction of duty that more lawmakers haven’t taken a stance against the governor over his iron fisted way of doing things.

Among Democrat lawmakers, state Rep. LaShawn Ford of Chicago has emerged as one of the most vocal critics, recently blasting the governor for attempting to “rule with an iron fist.”

Bailey said he’s keeping close watch over it all in hopes that it will come to move the governor.

“So far, I’m not seeing it, but I’m hopeful,” he said. “The governor can be so full of arrogance you never know. It’s said that power blinds and that’s what we’re seeing with the governor.”