Trump Endorses Bailey for Illinois Governor

President Donald Trump endorsed Republican candidate Darren Bailey for Illinois governor on Sunday, a move that caught Bailey off guard and provided Democratic Governor JB Pritzker with a new line of attack in the race. Trump made the endorsement while speaking to reporters in Ireland before departing, calling Pritzker a "disaster as a governor" and praising Bailey as "a good man." Bailey said the late-night endorsement surprised him. "I was woken last night by my phone ringing many times, letting me know that," he said. While welcoming the support, Bailey argued the race hinges on state issues. "This race for governor is not about this endorsement. This race for governor is about fixing what JB Pritzker has broken for eight years," Bailey stated. Pritzker quickly seized on the development, noting it was Trump's third endorsement of Bailey. "Darren Bailey doesn't want you to think that he's a Donald Trump acolyte, but he is. And he can't run away from his past, and so I think that's going to haunt him," Pritzker said. The governor pointed to Trump-era immigration enforcement, including "Operation Midway Blitz," as unpopular in Illinois.