Bailey Slammed For Saying Holocaust ‘Doesn’t Even Compare’ To Abortion

CHICAGO — State Sen. Darren Bailey, the Republican nominee for Illinois governor, said Tuesday that he did not intend to diminish the Holocaust when he said the genocide of European Jews "doesn't even compare" to the lives lost in abortions.

Bailey has faced criticism over his comments from the campaign of his political opponent, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and the Democratic Party of Illinois, as well as supporters of abortion rights and opponents of antisemitism.

The Republican candidate made the remarks in an October 2017 livestreamed video during his campaign for the GOP nomination for state representative. While explaining his anti-abortion convictions, Bailey reads a passage from Psalms 39, which he said proves life begin at conception.

"God knows when we're created, when we're conceived, even before that, He knows, He has plans for us," Bailey said.

"And I believe that abortion is one of the greatest atrocities of our day, and I believe it's one of the greatest atrocities, probably, forever," he continued. "You know, the attempted extermination of the Jews of World War II, it doesn't even compare on a shadow of the life that has been lost with abortion since its legalization."

Jennifer Welch, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, said the remarks were unbecoming of any elected officials and called on Bailey to apologize.

"Darren Bailey’s comparison between abortion and the Holocaust is an outrageously inaccurate and harmful trope used by the most radical elements of the anti-choice movement to propagate misinformation and hateful rhetoric about fundamental reproductive health care and the people seeking safe and legal abortions," Welch said Tuesday in a statement.

"The appropriation of the Holocaust is despicable and an insult to the millions who died as well as those who survived its racist agenda," she added. "In addition, it reveals a complete lack of understanding of history and the realities of the lives of people seeking abortion care."

Bailey's remarks were first reported Monday by the Forward.

"The Holocaust and abortion are not the same," the Midwest Anti-Defamation League said in a social media post, sharing the reporting. "These types of comments have no place in public discourse. They are deeply offensive and do an incredible disservice to the millions of Jews and other innocent victims killed by the Nazis."

The Pritzker campaign, which has created a campaign advertisement featuring Bailey's remarks, issued a statement describing the comments as disqualifying.

"I am pained and disturbed by Darren Bailey’s reckless comments," Sam Harris, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center president emeritus, said in the statement. “This despicable rhetoric is dangerous, trivializes one of the worst stains on human history, and disparages the memory of millions. It is imperative that we learn from the past so that we never allow such tragedy to befall us again. We must demand more from our elected officials.”

The museum also issued a statement.

"Enough. Time and again we continue to see inappropriate and outrageous comparisons to the Holocaust invoked to score political points," it said. "Darren Bailey’s 2017 comments are no exception, and such references are not only disgusting but profoundly hurtful to Holocaust survivors and their descendants."

About 6 million Jews and millions of others were murdered in the Holocaust, according to the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, the number of annual legal abortions in the U.S. peaked at 1.6 million in 1990 and stood at about 930,000 in 2020.

The Bailey campaign provided the following statement from the candidate:

“The Holocaust is a human tragedy without parallel. In no way was I attempting to diminish the atrocities of the Holocaust and its stain on history. I meant to emphasize the tragedy of millions of babies being lost," Bailey said in an email. "I support and have met with many people in the Jewish community in Illinois and look forward to continuing to work with them to make Illinois a safer and more affordable place for everyone.”

Patch also requested comment from the Illinois Republican Party, any response received will be added here.

Last month, Bailey apologized after backlash to comments he made at the canceled Skokie 4th of July parade. He later said he had been taken out of context. The parade comments were made in the context of a prayer, as was his comment comparing legal abortion to Nazi genocide.

"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," Bailey said on July 4.

"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," he said. "So right now, if you would, join me in prayer for the families affected and for the law enforcement as they do their jobs and it's been a tough weekend in Chicago."

The gubernatorial candidate not the only Illinois Republican to face backlash regarding comments over the Holocaust or Nazis.

In January 2021, newly elected Congresswoman Mary Miller drew anger while speaking at a rally outside the U.S. Capitol. Days after she was sworn in, she spoke about the need for Republicans to "win the hearts and minds of our children," adding, "Hitler was right on one thing. He said whoever has the youth has the future."

Earlier: Bailey Says 'Move On' After Highland Park Shooting, Then Apologizes