Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey denied being aware of or having met a sex offender who contributed to his campaign, and his running mate said the funds scrutinized by J.B. Pritzker’s campaign would be donated to charity.
Campaign contribution records and state sex offender records confirm that Victor D. Barr, a 69-year-old Rockford man, and his household made two contributions totaling $1,100 to Bailey’s 2026 campaign and another $2,000 in 2022.
Records detail that Barr was found to have sexually abused a 17-year-old, who was a student at the school he taught math at about 22 years ago.
During an event last week at the Illinois State Fair‘s Republican Day, Bailey and his running mate, Aaron Del Mar, vehemently denied any connection to the donor.
Pritzker’s campaign is using that information to take a swing at his Republican opponent, who doesn’t have a say in who contributes to his campaign.
Bailey denied that he visited the place where Barr serves as a pastors, Faith Center in Rockford.
There’s no evidence to suggest Bailey met Barr or knew of his past, but the candidate did attend a service at the Faith Center on June 14, according to a Facebook post by the center.
Story from Illinois Radio Network
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