SE Illinois News

Lieutenant governor candidate state Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Pawnee) is being accused of being  "out of control" by fellow party members attending a 2020 caucus. 

State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), who is running against Bourne’s running mate, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin for the Republican nomination for governor, said Bourne admonished him for not wearing a mask. 

"While we were fighting for you, State Representative Avery Bourne, was fighting against me and your freedoms," Bailey wrote of the alleged incident in a Facebook post. "Through fake tears she screamed at the entire House Republican Caucus to just 'wear our masks,' screaming specifically at me 'just put on your ***king mask.’"

Bourne is running as an opponent of mask mandates.

The incident allegedly occurred on May 20, 2020, when House Republicans went to caucus in the Bank of Springfield Center, where the legislative session was being held for social distancing purposes, at the start of the legislative session. 

Bailey had made it clear before the session that he would not be wearing a mask, and many people were aware of this.

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) backed up Bailey’s account of the incident, noting Bourne was "out of control." 

The growing resistance to mask policies and a judge's recent ruling against mask policies in schools has led to an opportunity for candidates vowing to end mask mandates.  

"I don't apologize for doing everything I can to fight for the working families of this state," Bailey said in his Facebook post. "I do not apologize for standing up for freedoms and doing what is right to uphold law and order in Illinois. They can spread their lies and misinformation, but I stand by my record of standing up fighting for you." 

"We have worked with local governments from day 1 to get businesses, churches and schools open, safely and responsibly. The back-to-business plan resulted in scores of local governments declaring their areas open for business-saving jobs, livelihoods, and bringing hope and sanity back to our communities. Those that opened never again closed."