Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois
Republican voters in Illinois have once again chosen former state Sen. Darren Bailey as their candidate for governor, giving him a second chance to unseat incumbent Democrat JB Pritzker in November.
Bailey, a farmer from southern Illinois and the party’s 2022 nominee, claimed victory Tuesday night in a four-way primary for the GOP nomination, defeating Ted Dabrowski, former head of the conservative policy website Wirepoints.
According to unofficial returns compiled by the Associated Press, Bailey had carried about 50% of the vote as about 8:35 p.m. when the race was called. Dabrowski garnered about 32%.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters at a Springfield hotel Tuesday night as his lead grew, Bailey immediately began calling for party unity.
“This primary is over,” he said. “Regardless of who you voted for, regardless of our past differences, this election is bigger than all of that. We must join together to stop another four years of billionaire leadership that doesn’t understand your life, your bills, or your struggle.”
DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick and businessman Rick Heidner, who spent more than $1 million of his own money on the campaign, each had under 10% when the race was called.
Four years ago, Bailey won the nomination with 57% of the vote in a crowded race that also featured Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin and venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan.
In that campaign, Bailey had the endorsement of then-former President Donald Trump. But many observers noted he also had backhanded help from the Pritzker campaign, which viewed him as a weaker candidate than the better-financed Irvin.
Pritzker funded ads that, on the surface, appeared to criticize Bailey but which subtly targeted the GOP’s conservative base by asserting that Bailey was “too conservative” for Illinois.
Bailey went on to lose the general election, 55% to 42%, after Pritzker swept Cook County and most of the collar counties
Two years later, he tried unsuccessfully to unseat fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in the 12th District, narrowly losing that primary by less than 3,000 votes.
Bailey announced his plan to run for governor again in September, vowing to run a different campaign that would focus more on Chicago and its suburbs. That started with choosing Cook County Republican Party Chairman Aaron Del Mar as his running mate.
“Aaron definitely brings a whole bunch of stuff to the table,” Crystal Bell, a Bailey supporter from Beardstown, said in an interview Tuesday night. “The dynamic duo, is what I call them.”
Barely a month after announcing his candidacy, however, Bailey suffered a family tragedy that could have ended his campaign when his son Zacharay, daughterin-law and two grandchildren were all killed in a helicopter crash in Montana.
But Bailey chose to stay in the race, “not for politics, but for every family trying to make it in a state that’s lost its way, for every parent who dreams of a better future for their children and for every Illinoisan who knows that we can do better.”
Although Trump did not issue a formal endorsement this time around, Bailey made it clear that he would model his administration after the current president, vowing to set up a DOGE-like commission to root out waste and inefficiency in state government.
But speaking to supporters Tuesday night, Bailey also began to put some dis-
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Chosen from nearly 3,000 applicants, Cornejo prepares to teach in high-need Illinois schools
Joliet Central High School senior Ariadna Cornejo has been selected as a Golden Apple Scholar through the Golden Apple Foundation, a prestigious statewide program that prepares the next generation of outstanding teachers in Illinois.
The Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program identifies high-achieving high school seniors and college students who demonstrate strong academic ability, leadership, and a deep commitment to the field of education.
Students selected for the program are recognized not only for their academic success, but also for their passion for working with others and their potential to make a meaningful difference in the classroom.
Scholars are chosen through a highly competitive process that includes a detailed application and multiple rounds of interviews. The selection
process is designed to identify candidates who are not only prepared for the academic demands of teaching, but who also possess the empathy, resilience, and dedication needed to support diverse groups of students.
Through the program, scholars receive extensive, hands-on preparation for teaching careers. This includes summer institutes led by experienced educators, ongoing mentoring, and early classroom experiences that allow students to develop practical skills before they begin fulltime teaching.
Participants also benefit from networking opportunities with fellow scholars and education professionals across the state.
In addition to professional development, the program provides financial assistance to support scholars as they pursue degrees in education. In return, participants commit to
teaching for at least five years in Illinois schools that have the greatest need for dedicated and highly qualified educators, helping to address teacher shortages and improve educational outcomes in underserved communities.
Being named a Golden Apple Scholar is a significant achievement. Nearly 3,000 students across Illinois began the application process, making the selection highly competitive and selective.
Cornejo’s recognition places her among a distinguished group of future educators who are committed to shaping the next generation of learners.
“Ariadna embodies everything we hope for in future educators—compassionate, intelligent, and a natural leader,” said Aseneth Ruiz, Joliet Central School Counselor. “Getting to know her has been a privilege, and
I am incredibly proud that she was chosen for this scholarship.
Our field needs passionate individuals like her to help shape the future of education.”
During her time at Joliet Central, Cornejo has demonstrated a strong commitment to both her academic work and her community. Her dedication to helping others and her interest in education have helped set her apart as a student leader with a clear sense of purpose.
Cornejo will attend the University of St. Francis in the fall, where she plans to major in elementary education with a minor in special education.
She hopes to use the skills and experiences gained through the Golden Apple Scholars program to create inclusive, supportive classroom environments where all students can succeed.
As she begins this next chapter, Cornejo is well on her way to making a lasting impact in Illinois classrooms and beyond.
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Natural wood flooring is a stunning feature of millions of homes. Wood floors are appreciated for their durability and aesthetic appeal, each of which is bolstered when floors are properly maintained.
A host of variables can affect how long wood flooring lasts and how its appearance holds up over time. Wood flooring in homes with pets that roam around the house, such as cats and dogs, may require more frequent maintenance than those without pets. The same goes for homes with children, who may routinely track dirt in from outside or spill food and drinks with greater frequency than adults. But even wood flooring in homes without pets and children requires consistent maintenance. Homeowners who want to protect their wood floors and ensure they maintain their aesthetic appeal for the long haul can consider the following maintenance tips, courtesy of the National Wood Flooring Association.
• Sweep, dust or mop each day. The NWFA recommends daily maintenance to remove dust and dirt that accumu-
lates each day. Such cleaning can prevent damage that can compromise the aesthetic appeal of the floors and potentially affect their longevity.
• Clean spills immediately. Spills are inevitable, especially in homes where young children live. Though spills might not be preventable, the damage they can cause can be avoided with a prompt response. Cleaning spills immediately with a dry or slightly damp cloth can ensure the floors do not soak up the spilled liquids. The NWFA notes that mopping wood floors with a wet mop or steam mop will damage the finish and the wood over long periods of time. If allowed to soak into the floor, spilled liquid can contribute to warping, swelling and staining. Each of those issues can be costly to address, but a quick and immediate cleanup can prevent all three from happening.
• Vacuum once per week on the bare floor setting. Utilizing a vacuum is less taxing on wood floors than sweeping so long as the vacuum is on the bare floor setting. Sweeping is best avoided to prevent small particles from being dragged across the
floor, which gradually wears down the finish and ultimately contributes to a dull look. Vacuuming vertically lifts the debris off the floor, ensuring nothing is dragged along the surface of the floor. If you’re using a manual vacuum instead of a robotic vacuum, vacuum with the grain to reduce the risk of damage.
• Apply wood flooring cleaner once per month. If your wood floors are newly installed, ask your installer to recommend
There is no secret formula to guarantee a healthy life, but eating a balanced diet that prioritizes nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods and getting the recommended amount of exercise each week might be as close as it gets. For a good portion of the population, physical fitness involves visiting a fitness facility.
There are an estimated 205,180 health and fitness clubs worldwide and approximately 185 million gym memberships, according to data from Statista. Around 25 percent of the United States population had a membership to a gym, studio or other fitness facility in 2024, according to a recent survey from the Health & Fitness Association.
Considering the vast array of gyms and fitness facilities available to consumers, finding a place to start or continue one’s fitness journey may require a little leg work. To find the right place, individuals can consider these points when touring locations.
• Identify your needs and wants. First, decide what is most important to you in a facility. Do you want a location that prioritizes group classes? Do you prefer
a traditional gym where free weights are more abundant than machines? Are you in need of a facility with early-morning hours or one that has a pool? Make a list of your preferences to narrow down the options.
• Consider convenience. Although a gym three towns over may have all of the bells and whistles you want, consider the likelihood that you’ll travel there often enough when the exercising bug bites you? A facility that is relatively close to home or the office makes it much easier to stay consistent with your workouts.
• Identify fitness goals. Shedding weight is a primary goal for many people. Others may want to build muscle. The former may require a fitness club that offers a mix of cardiovascular exercises and even specialized weight loss programs. Nutrition counseling also might be a feature to look for. For the latter, a facility that features comprehensive weightlifting equipment and offers resistance training classes might be a better fit.
a cleaner specifically designed for the finish on your floor.
If your floors are not new, contact a flooring professional for a recommendation. Wood flooring cleaners specific to a given floor’s finish are important because these products are specialized and formulated with both cleaning and protection of the floor itself in mind. The right wood floor cleaner won’t lead to dull-looking floors nor damage the finish.
• Recoat floors if they start to look dull. The NWFA notes that recoating with wood floor finish every three to five years can renew the appearance of natural wood flooring that might be starting to look a little dull.
Well-maintained wood floors add much to a home’s interiors. Some simple maintenance can ensure wood floors remain durable and aesthetically appealing for decades.
tance between himself from Trump.
“You’re going to hear JB Pritzker and his Democrat allies try to compare me to Donald Trump and use some pretty mean words while doing it,” he said. “Well, there are things that I agree with Donald Trump about, and there are things that I disagree with him about. I am my own man. But when Trump is right, we’re going to try to do those things in Illinois.”
Dabrowski, meanwhile, campaigned on the idea that he was the more electable candidate, arguing that Bailey’s poor performance in the suburbs four years ago was an omen that he could never win a statewide general election.
“Victory runs through the suburbs,” Dabrowski said in his final TV ad of the primary campaign. “Darren Bailey is a disaster in the suburbs. It’s why Pritzker wanted to run against him four years ago and does again.”
(Continued from page 5, ‘HEALTH’)
• Seek some expert guidance. If you don’t know where to start getting fit, a gym with personal trainers can be a wise investment.
• Evaluate the look and feel. Visiting various gyms can help you compare apples to apples. Look for things like cleanliness and maintenance in all areas, including locker rooms and workout spaces. Check to see if there is enough equipment to accommodate everyone during your typical workout time. Evaluate the atmo sphere and vibe of the gym. You want it to feel comfortable and welcoming.
But Sheldon Schulte, a Bailey supporter from Vandalia, said Tuesday that if more southern Illinois Republicans had turned out in 2022, Bailey would have won the race.
“People do not get out and turn out,” he said in an interview. “I mean, all we needed was 15% more people in southern Illinois to show up and we would have won. They just won’t get out and vote. They like to sit around a coffee shop and bitch. They don’t want to get out and vote. I don’t understand.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
This article first appeared on Capitol News Illinois and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
• Check out the gym schedule. Be sure to see if class schedules or operational hours align with your workout needs.
• Learn the costs of membership. Fitness on Demand says the average cost of a gym membership is $59 per month. Budget gyms can cost as low as $10 per month, while elite or boutique clubs may be as much as $100 monthly.
However, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association says nearly 40 percent of gym members pay less
