Darren Bailey, a 59-year-old politician from southern Illinois, is mourning the tragic loss of his family following a devastating helicopter crash in Montana. The crash unsurvivably injured his son, Zachary, and daughter-in-law, Kelsey. It killed his two grandchildren, Vada Rose, 12, and Samuel, 7. Bailey’s 10-year-old son, Finn, was in the car and was lucky enough to survive her horrific death.
Bailey—who’s made his deep conservatism and uncompromising anti-abortion ideology infamous, even by Illinois GOP standards—is the most consequential Illinois political figure in recent memory. Before assuming his role with the city, he had been first, an elected state senator and second, a lawmaker in the Illinois House of Representatives. He won the marquee Republican primary for governor in 2022 but lost to incumbent JB Pritzker. Bailey—looking well beyond the present—is already campaigning for that seat in 2026.
Sadly we learned nothing from this particular helicopter crash, as no information was released soon after by any authorities about its cause. That’s when we learned, in a manner no parent should ever have to, that Marcia’s family had heard the shocking news on Wednesday night,
“On Wednesday evening, Darren and his wife, Cindy, received the heartbreaking news no parent ever wants to hear” – Darren Bailey’s campaign statement.
Bailey said he and his wife were heartbroken.
“Darren and Cindy are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss” – Darren Bailey’s campaign statement.
The release urged respect for the family’s privacy as they deal with this shocking loss.
“They ask for privacy as they grieve and hold their loved ones close during this difficult time” – Darren Bailey’s campaign statement.
While preparing for his future political pursuits, Bailey is dealing with his own grief. We’re curious to see how this tragedy shapes his candidacy and life in public service. Among other priorities, Bailey has consistently strongly advocated for gun rights and support for law enforcement. He’s been pretty critical of Illinois’ recent criminal justice reforms.