Family members of Darren Bailey, a Republican gubernatorial candidate from Illinois, died in a helicopter crash in Montana on Wednesday evening. The incident claimed the lives of Bailey’s son, Zachary, his wife, Kelsey, and their two young children, Vada Rose, 12, and Samuel, 7. Their other grandson, Finn, 10, survived as he was not aboard the aircraft.
A statement from Bailey’s campaign described the loss as “heartbreaking” and emphasized the family’s reliance on faith during the grieving process. It noted that Bailey and his wife, Cindy, have four married children and 13 grandchildren.
Local Republican organizations expressed condolences. TJ Brown of the Northfield Township Republican Organization in Illinois wrote, “This is terrible news. Prayers to the Bailey family.” The Vernon Township Republicans X account added, “We are heartbroken for the Bailey family – please keep them in your prayers.”
Bailey, a former Illinois state senator, ran as the GOP nominee against Governor JB Pritzker in 2022 and is seeking re-election in 2026. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed it is investigating the crash of a Robinson Helicopters R66 in Ekalaka, Montana.
