Darren Bailey living in Hancock to 'immerse' himself in city he's repeatedly called 'hellhole'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Darren Bailey called a news conference in Fulton Market on Tuesday afternoon to highlight recent muggings there and in nearby Wicker Park as he continues to make crime his primary campaign message.

"This is not a test, this is a wake-up call. Chicago is living the purge, when criminals ravage at will and the cops are told to stand down," the GOP for Illinois governor said.

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Bailey blamed Gov. JB Pritzker and fired another salvo at a Pritzker-backed crime bill, which will end cash bail in 2023.

"With his Safe-T Act, JB is set to unleash the purge in neighborhoods all over Illinois as of Jan. 1," Bailey said.

Bailey once again repeated his go-to description of Chicago as he talked about murders, calling the city a "hellhole."

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But Bailey found a heavenly apartment to rent in the Hancock building on the Magnificent Mile during the campaign.

"I want to immerse myself in the culture. You can't deny there's problems here. And if we keep denying there's problems the problems are going to get worse. All this whole entire journey I have immersed myself in the culture of Illinois that I know nothing about," Bailey said.

Pritzker's campaign releasing a statement saying, in part, "despite regularly disparaging the City of Chicago as a hellhole, Bailey seems to have no problem enjoying his high-rise digs on the Magnificent Mile. He is grossly out of touch with Illinois families."

Bailey's campaign would not say how long he is renting the apartment. His permanent residence remains on his farm in downstate Xenia.

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