Mayor Rotering: 'Darren Bailey Has No Business Being Our Governor'

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — The latest campaign advertisement in first-term Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker's reelection bid features Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering praising the governor and criticizing his Republican opponent.

In the ad, Rotering said her city "saw the face of evil" during the mass shooting at its 4th of July parade, which left seven people dead and nearly 50 others wounded.

"The magnitude of the devastation will last for years," Rotering said. "But with the work of public safety personnel, the support of Gov. Pritzker and so many others, the people of Highland Park are finding strength in the aftermath of trauma."

The ad shows images of paramedics at the scene of the Independence Day massacre, followed by a shot of Rotering and Pritzker together following an event at the White House a week after the Highland Park parade shooting.

"But even as the shooter was still at large, Darren Bailey said it was time to 'move on,'" Rotering said, referencing comments by the gubernatorial candidate made on the day of the shooting at Skokie's canceled parade.

In a livestreamed video, Bailey asks for prayers for the affected family and for law enforcement.

"We're just going to take a moment and pray for the families. Friends, let's pray for the law enforcement, and even the organizers of this parade. They've done an amazing job. There's a lot of confusion and frustration that the parade is being canceled, but they did the right thing because people's safety has got to come first," he said. "The shooter is still at large, so let's pray for justice to prevail, and then let's move on and let's celebrate freedom, celebrate the independence of this nation. We know the mission. We have got to get corruption and evil out of our government, and we have got to elect men and women of honor and of courage to get this country and this state back on track."

Bailey apologized later that day and issued a statement calling for a special legislative session to address crime.

“I apologize if in any way we diminished the pain being felt across our state today,” Bailey said. “I hope we can all come together in prayer and action to address rampant crime and mental health issues to make sure these horrific tragedies don’t happen again.”

In the Pritzker campaign ad, Rotering goes on to criticize Bailey for a 2019 fundraiser for his campaign for state senate in which he held a raffle for a Smith & Wesson AR-15.

"And," the mayor said, "he raised funds for his campaign raffling off assault weapons like the one used here."

Authorities said a 21-year-old high school dropout used a legally purchased Smith & Wesson M&P 15 model rifle to fire more than 80 rounds into the crowd.

"Darren Bailey has no business being our governor," Rotering said.

Since her election as mayor in 2011, Rotering has sought the Democratic Party's nomination for offices in the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

Rotering was defeated by U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider in the 2016 primary in the 10th Congressional District, by then-State Sen. Kwame Raul in the 2018 race for Illinois attorney general and by Lake County Associate Judge Elizabeth Rochford earlier this year in a bid for a newly redrawn Illinois Supreme Court district.

Related: Highland Park Shooting Survivors Sue Smith & Wesson, Gun Shops, Crimos