The 4th of July felt bittersweet even before the news of the mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois. The “person of interest” alleged shooter — I don’t know if he’s been upgraded to “suspect” yet — seems to be one of those perpetually adolescent, useless, pissant young men we seem to produce a lot of these days. In an earlier age he would have gotten a job in some factory instead of making mediocre rap videos on the Internet. That might have kept him out of trouble.
Also in Illinois, the Republican nominee for governor, Darren Bailey, did not exactly handle the news about Highland Park gracefully. After leading some supporters in prayer, he said, “Let’s move on and celebrate the independence of this nation.”
People weren’t ready to move on. Bailey got slammed up one side and down the other.
The Bailey-Pritzker general election contest came about in part because incumbent governor J.B. Pritzker helped him win. The Chicago Tribune explained, “His victory was assisted by more than $40 million in advertising by Pritzker and the Pritzker-supported Democratic Governors Association, which ran ads attacking Irvin while labeling Bailey as ‘too conservative for Illinois.'” Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin was considered the front runner in the GOP primary for a while.
But you should see the ad the Democrats paid for; it accused him of being “100 percent pro life” and “protecting gun owners and the second amendment.” And Bailey got Donald Trump’s endorsement and “stands with the Trump agenda.” It used language to appeal to right-wing voters, in other words, even while presenting itself as an anti-Bailey ad. Richard Irvin saw the nomination slipping away and accused Democrats of “interfering” in the race. Bailey won easily.
J.B. Pritzker reckoned that Bailey would be the easiest of the Republican candidates to beat in the general, so he helped Bailey win. Pritzker may be right. Bailey has no discernible personality and apparently isn’t the sharpest crayon in the box. Let’s hope; if Bailey wins Illinois will be stuck with a right-wing nudnick as governor.