Darren Bailey and Dr. Bill Hauter at the TCRW Tazewell County Republican Women event | Facebook/Bill Hauter for State Representative
Darren Bailey and Dr. Bill Hauter at the TCRW Tazewell County Republican Women event | Facebook/Bill Hauter for State Representative
Dr. Bill Hauter, who defeated Durkin-backed Mary Burress in the 87th District Republican primary, has been campaigning with GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey.
Hauter was endorsed by Bailey and represents the grassroots, conservative wing of the GOP. He told his supporters to vote for Bailey.
“Darren Bailey for Governor came to Morton for the TCRW Tazewell County Republican Women event," Hauter said in a recent Facebook post. "Darren would be such an incredible governor – we all have to work and pray him into office.”
Hauter, a Peoria anesthesiologist, is set to be the only medical doctor in the General Assembly in January. He is set to run unopposed in the 87th House District. House Minority leader Jim Durkin poured $200,000 into Hauter’s primary opponent, Prairie State Wire reported. Hauter defeated opponent Burress with 56.8% of the votes to her 43.2% of the votes, according to Ballotpedia.
Hauter, who is a member of the Tazewell County Commission, mainly ran on opposition to the State’s COVID-19 policy over the last two years. He is a harsh critic of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s policy regarding all areas of the pandemic. He wants to ensure that lockdowns and mandates Illinois has gotten used to never happen again. He is also critical of IDPH Director Dr. Ezike’s performance. He said that she “became a ‘yes’ person to J.B. and all his mandates and his emergency powers.”
Opposing the "tyrannical" lockdowns and mandates of the last two years and vowing to stop them in the future, Hauter noted that he is “disgusted with the direction of our state,” and believes he will add a unique perspective to the General Assembly, Peoria Standard reported.
Durkin also supported Richard Irvin for governor. Irvin gave Burress $5,000 and his running mate, Avery Bourne, gave Burress an additional 59,900 in May. Organizations aligned with Durkin contributed an additional 88,900 to Burress. Hauter has criticized Burress for being a “career politician.” Hauter plans to be a “citizen-legislator” and does not intend on drawing a legislative pension. His win is a victory for the conservative, grass roots wing of the GOP, and a defeat for the moderate, Durkin wing of the party.
The 87th District includes parts of northeast Sangamon, Macon, DeWitt, McLean, Woodford and Tazewell counties and all of Logan County.
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