4 family members of Illinois governor candidate killed in Montana
helicopter crash, campaign says
[October 24, 2025]
By JOHN SEEWER and CHRISTINE FERNANDO
CHICAGO (AP) — Four family members of a Republican running for governor
in Illinois were killed in a Montana helicopter crash, his campaign said
Thursday.
The son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren of former state lawmaker
Darren Bailey, who lost the 2022 gubernatorial election in Illinois and
is seeking his party’s nomination again in next year’s race, were killed
in the crash Wednesday. Bailey previously served in both the Illinois
House and Senate.
Bailey's son, Zachary, his wife, Kelsey, and their two young children,
Vada Rose, 12, and Samuel, 7, died in the crash in a remote area of
eastern Montana, his campaign said in a statement. The couple's third
child was not on the helicopter.
“Darren and Cindy are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. They are
finding comfort in their faith, their family, and the prayers of so many
who love and care for them,” the statement said.
Zachary Bailey was piloting the helicopter when it went down, said Aaron
Del Mar, who is Darren Bailey's running mate and serving as a family
spokesperson.
They were in Montana on a business trip so that Zachary Bailey could
expand their use of helicopters as part of the family's farm business,
Del Mar said. Bailey and his two brothers helped their father run their
farm in south-central Illinois.
Zachary Bailey first got his helicopter license years ago, Del Mar said,
so that he could deliver medical supplies and aid to people in
third-world countries. “That was a driving force for him to get his
license,” he said.
The cause of the crash was not known, Del Mar said. No one else was on
board, he said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday it was
investigating the crash near the town of Ekalaka. The sheriff's office
in Carter County said it responded to the site Wednesday evening
southwest of the town in the hilly Chalk Butte area where the
flat-topped buttes have few trees.
Bailey, from the southern Illinois town of Xenia, announced in September
that he is seeking the GOP’s nomination for governor in 2026. He lost to
heavily-favored Gov. JB Pritzker in 2022.
[to top of second column]
|
Bailey’s son Zachary, his daughter-in-law Kelsey and two
grandchildren, 12-year-old Vada Rose and 7-year-old Samuel, died
when the helicopter. The couple’s 10-year-old son, Finn, center, was
not on board at the time. (Courtesy Bailey campaign)
Pritzker said on Thursday that he and his wife expressed their
condolences to the Bailey family. “I cannot imagine losing a child,
losing two grandchildren, and what they must be going through,” the
governor said.
Bailey, a staunch conservative, dramatically increased his statewide
profile in 2020 as a frequent critic of Pritzker’s approach to the
coronavirus pandemic — including refusing to wear a mask during
legislative sessions.
During his run for governor, Bailey railed about crime in Chicago
and proposed eliminating the state’s gun licensing system, saying it
doesn’t stop people from using guns illegally. He once supported a
resolution seeking to make Chicago a separate state.
Bailey unsuccessfully challenged five-term incumbent Republican U.S.
Rep. Mike Bost in last year’s primary race for a district that
covers much of the bottom one-third of Illinois.
Illinois GOP Chair Kathy Salvi said in a statement that the party is
grieving the tragic loss. “Please join us in keeping the Bailey
family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time,”
the statement said.
___
Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers John
O'Connor in Springfield, Illinois; and Matthew Brown in Billings,
Montana; contributed.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
