With just under a month until Illinois voters head to the polls to decide the state’s highest-profile primary race, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost scored the endorsement of former President Donald Trump Tuesday in Bost’s 12th district race against former State Sen. Darren Bailey.
Trump announced his backing for Bost in a post on his social media platform Truth Social:
“While I like and respect Darren Bailey, and was proud to campaign for him in 2022, Mike Bost was one of the first House Committee Chairmen to endorse my Campaign, and Mike was a stalwart supporter of our America First agenda during my record-setting Administration,” Trump said in the post. “Mike Bost has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
Both campaigns have lobbied hard to appeal to Trump and his base of supporters, but Bailey has physically gone out of his way to be in the former president’s orbit, traveling to Iowa and Washington for Trump events, as well as a Trump rally at his Bedminster, N.J. estate in June following Trump’s indictment in Florida on charges his mishandled government documents.
Bailey also brought Donald Trump, Jr. to the state for a fundraiser last fall and his campaign is advertising a fundraiser for a drawing to win a commemorative Donald J. Trump .45 gun.
“It is a tremendous honor to have President Trump’s full support and total endorsement of my campaign,” Bost said in a statement. “I will do all I can to help put President Trump back to the White House because we are fighting for the same things: a secure our border, a strong Second Amendment, an end to the wokeness plaguing our country, and putting America First. I look forward to standing side-by-side with him in the fight to Make America Great Again once we’re both re-elected this November.”
Bailey does have the support of U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill and also brought U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla to the district last week for a fundraiser.
"Darren Bailey proudly stands with President Trump despite disagreeing with him on this endorsement. We look forward to working with President Trump to champion working families, secure our borders, defend our freedoms and put America First—no compromises , no apologies," Bailey's campaign said in a statement.
Bost hosted U.S. Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio on Saturday and has also scored endorsements from Speaker Mike Johnson, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OH, and U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY.
The winner of the March 19 primary will be a prohibitive favorite in November against the winner on the Democratic side, Preston Nelson or Brian Roberts, in what is considered a safe Republican district.