Cindy Bailey disputes Pritzker ads on women

Cindy Bailey, wife of Republican Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, publicly challenged Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign ads, saying they distort her husband’s character and portray his views on women unfairly. The ads accuse Darren Bailey of saying women should be treated as inferior to men, oppose abortion even in cases of rape or incest, and feature his remark that God intended fathers to head families. Cindy Bailey pointed to her own business and family life, saying her husband has treated her as a partner and valued her work and opinions. She also disputed claims in the ads about the curriculum used at the Christian school she and her husband founded; reporting noted that her account conflicted with an earlier statement by Darren Bailey. Darren Bailey has a record of anti-abortion positions, while his campaign has argued that Pritzker’s ads misrepresent his beliefs and character; the significant fundraising gap has limited Bailey’s ability to counter them with advertising.