Skip to main content

:  ILGOP Holds “Unity Breakfast” – DPI Mobile Billboard Is There to Remind Them How They Got Here

Posted on: 

Naperville, IL – This morning, the Illinois Republican Party is gathering for a so-called “Unity Breakfast” to rally behind their slate of candidates – the same people who spent months publicly tearing each other apart on the campaign trail and all over social media.

Even the top of the ticket has a history. In 2022, Aaron Del Mar ran for lieutenant governor alongside Gary Rabine, and the two ran hard against Darren Bailey – and it’s been messy ever since. Now Del Mar is Bailey’s running mate even though he spent months preparing to run for governor himself and has spent the time since the announcement making fun of his running mate’s accent and discussing his failures campaigning in Cook County.

In response, the Democratic Party of Illinois sent a mobile billboard to greet attendees as they arrive at the breakfast. The billboard features the candidates’ own words:

Darren Bailey: “Every time [Aaron Del Mar] runs for something, I say, ‘Don’t vote for this guy.’”

Aaron Del Mar: “I just don’t think [Darren Bailey’s] a viable candidate.”

Rick Heidner: “If I thought Bailey could win, honestly, I wouldn’t have ran.”

James Mendrick: “Darren Bailey will not win the general election against Pritzker.”

Ted Dabrowski: “Darren Bailey can’t beat Pritzker.”

The ILGOP can pose for photos and call it unity all they want, but Illinois voters watched for months as Republican candidates attacked each other’s character, competence, and chances of winning.

Here’s a look back at some of the best moments:

  • Ted Dabrowski: “Darren Bailey can’t beat Pritzker”

  • Darren Bailey: “Every time [Aaron Del Mar] runs for something, I say, ‘Don’t vote for this guy.'”

  • Rick Heidner: “If I thought Bailey could win, honestly, I wouldn’t have ran.”

  • James Mendrick: “Darren Bailey will not win the general election against Pritzker. With Aaron Del Mar as his running mate, he will likely win fewer votes than he did the first time.”

  • Rick Heidner: Said he would “absolutely not” give money to another candidate if they won the primary.

  • Rick Heidner: Told Dabrowski he was done with his “crap.”

  • Darren Bailey: Called Dabrowski “a nice guy polling in single digits.”

  • Jeanne Ives: “Why is Bailey hiding in his basement?”

  • Bailey War Room: “Rick is such a biter. Instead of poaching our clips and captions he could save himself the time and drop out.”

###