Rockford Sun

In a new radio ad by gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville), Bailey accuses incumbent Gov. J.B. Pritzker of causing "crushing debt, skyrocketing property taxes, rising crime, and failing schools." 

"Our campaign has been a simple one," Bailey said. "We exposed the corruption, the influence peddling, and the many examples of JB Pritzker’s failed policies. We also made a pledge to bring in a new era of Illinois government. And we will make good on those commitments. We are going to treat everyone with dignity and respect. We are going to listen to the people, and we are going to make Illinois government accountable, accessible, honest, and transparent. The Governor’s mansion does not belong to any one person or one party. It belongs to the people. A Darren Bailey/Stephanie Trussell Administration would be committed to serving ALL the people of this great state. Where JB Pritzker sought to divide us, we will make it our mission to unite this state. Our focus will be on crafting policies that will lead to job growth and stop the mass exodus from our state."

According to attorney general candidate Tom DeVore, Pritzker's office is allegedly involved in a 'conspiracy to commit fraud.' Pritzker's former campaign aide and previous Illinois State Police (ISP) merit board employee, Jenny Thornley, was charged with stealing money from the government. When her manager learned about it, she falsely accused him of sexual harassment, which was later exposed. She also asked helped from Pritzker's wife in February 2020. Thornley later filed a fake workers' compensation claim due to the alleged harassment while working with Pritzker's top staff, designating Pritzker's office as her employer rather than the ISP merit board. The claim, which was determined to be false, was processed and approved directly by Pritzker's General Counsel Ann Spillane. An independent investigation concluded that the claim was just a scheme to defraud the state. DeVore claims people in the highest levels of the Pritzker Administration were involved in the scheme.

Pritzker's blind trust's investment in state contractors has also received criticism. According to the Better Government Association (BGA) Pritzker "has not distanced himself from active involvement in the blind trust," according to a spokesman.”The BGA asserted that the governor's ownership in 12 companies could unduly influence his policy decisions. Pritzker was supposed to sell all of his shares in companies doing business with the state and transfer his remaining interests to a blind trust, but the BGA said that the governor didn't follow through on this pledge. Neither the governor nor any employees in his administration have commented on the blind trust or its investments in Centene.

Osage Research surveyed the public's opinion on the upcoming election. The poll conducted from Oct. 13–15 showed that from 600 likely voters, 42% said they would vote for Bailey while 44% said they would reelect the incumbent. With a +/-4% deviation, Bailey and are in a statistical tie, Prairie State Wire reported.

Opponents claim Pritzker resorted to bully tactics to silence opponents. The publication of an opposition newspaper was disrupted momentarily after the Pritzker campaign put pressure on the Daily Herald, which owns the press that was printing the newspapers owned by LGIS. Opponents say Pritzker was also successful in shutting down a TV ad by radio personality Pat Proft’s People Who Play By The Rules PAC  which showed a video of a woman being robbed. Pritzker also sent a legal notice to NBC and WGN requesting they remove an ad from Pritzker’s primary opponent, Beverly Miles, in which she accused Pritzker of her politically-motivated firing. The legal notice said Miles had no evidence Pritzker was behind her firing.