(WAND) — On Tuesday night, former State Senator Darren Bailey announced that he is running for congress.
Bailey announced his intention at his family farm in southern Illinois.
He'll be running against five term incumbent, Mike Bost whose last last primary challenge was in 2018.
Bailey said he's ready for the challenge. "I am not going to DC for the fame and I'm not going to hob-nob with swamp lobbyists. I'm going to fight for Southern Illinois."
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Bailey in past campaigns and has held past rallies in competitive midterm elections.
Bost's campaign manager released the following statement regarding Bailey's entry:
"Mike Bost has delivered conservative results for the people of Southern Illinois from day one in Congress. He has never wavered in defending our values and has worked tirelessly to build our region into the Republican stronghold it is today. It's a shame that Darren Bailey is willing to divide conservatives at a time when it's mission critical that we be united against Joe Biden and the extreme liberals in Congress. Bailey is putting selfish opportunism and personal ambition ahead of the interests of Southern Illinois conservatives, and Republican primary voters won't forget that.”
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