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Four family members of Darren Bailey, the Republican candidate for governor of Illinois, have tragically died in a helicopter crash in Montana.
His campaign confirmed Thursday that his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren died in Wednesday’s incident.
Mr. Bailey, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022 and is again seeking his party’s nomination, previously served in both the Illinois House and Senate.
Bailey’s son, Zachary, his wife, Kelsey, and their two young children, 12-year-old Vada Rose and 7-year-old Samuel, were killed in the crash in a remote area of eastern Montana, his campaign said in a statement. The couple’s third child was not on the helicopter.”
Darren and Cindy are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. “He is finding comfort in his faith, the prayers of his family and those who love and care for him,” the statement said.
Aaron Del Mar, Darren Bailey’s partner and acting as a family spokesman, said Zachary Bailey was piloting the helicopter when it crashed.
They were in Montana on a business trip so Zachary Bailey could expand the use of helicopters as part of the family’s farming business, Del Mar said. Bailey and his two brothers helped their father run his farm in south-central Illinois.
Zachary Bailey first got his helicopter license years ago so he could deliver medical supplies and aid to people in Third World countries, Del Mar said. “That was the driving force for them to get the license,” he said. The cause of the crash is not known, Del Mar said. There was no one else on board, he said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday it was investigating the crash near the town of Ekalaka. The Sheriff’s Office in Carter County said it responded to the site Wednesday evening in the mountainous Chalk Butte area southwest of town, where the flat-topped buttes have few trees.
Bailey, of the southern Illinois city of Xenia, announced in September that he is seeking the GOP nomination for governor in 2026. He lost to heavily favored Governor JB Pritzker in 2022.
Pritzker said Thursday that he and his wife offer their condolences to the Bailey family. “I can’t imagine losing a child, losing two grandchildren and what they’re going through,” the governor said.
Bailey, a staunch conservative, dramatically increased her statewide profile in 2020 as a frequent critic of Pritzker’s approach to the coronavirus pandemic — including his refusal to wear a mask during legislative sessions.
During his run for governor, Bailey voiced criticism about crime in Chicago and proposed eliminating the state’s gun licensing system, saying it does not prevent people from using guns illegally. He once supported a resolution seeking to make Chicago a separate state.
Bailey unsuccessfully challenged five-term incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Mike Bost in last year’s primary race for the district covering the lower one-third of Illinois.
Illinois GOP Chairwoman Kathy Salvi said in a statement that the party is mourning the tragic loss. “Please join us in keeping the Bailey family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time,” the statement said.