Where Illinois governor candidates JB Pritzker, Darren Bailey stand on abortion, taxes

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is much at stake in this election. Governor JB Pritzker and Republican challenger Darren Bailey are plotting very different paths forward for Illinois, and the contrast could not be starker than on the issue of abortion. Both candidates call the other extreme.

Pritzker has made abortion rights and expanding abortion access a key campaign issue, but has face criticism for signing a law eliminating parental notification before a minor undergoes the procedure.

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"If your daughter, at age 13, had become pregnant, would you not have wanted to be notified of it, so you could process it with her and work through this with her?" Craig Wall asked Pritzker.

"Sure, but my daughters' going to come talk to me if that happens and most daughters will," he answered. "It is those under threat by family; victims of incest are a perfect example of that."

Bailey faces a backlash on his abortion views, but downplayed their impact on reproductive rights on Illinois. He has called for abortion to be banned in the state.

"I do make the exception, always, when the life of the mother is at stake," Bailey admitted, but he wouldn't say the same for cases of rape or incest. "Personally, in my heart, I don't. But regardless of what I think, nothing is going to change in Illinois because of the makeup of the legislature."

With inflation a key concern for voters, Pritzker touted his $1.8 billion temporary relief plan for taxes on gas and groceries, as well as property taxes.

"I want to keep doing it, the way you make it permanent is make sure that you're balancing the budget and running surpluses and that's what I've done over the last four years," he said.

"Pritzker's tax relief efforts are a complete sham, it's an election year," Bailey countered.

The constitutional amendment on the ballot to codify workers' rights to unionize puts the candidates on opposite sides of the picket lines.

"Well, the critics are wrong about it," said Pritzker. "I know the other side is trying to make some tax argument that's not what this about. It won't affect taxes. This is about making sure that workers have the ability to go in with some power collectively to talk to their employers."

"Amendment One is a hostile, liberal, it's a takeover by special interests, because now, teachers unions, instead of bargaining just for wages and benefits, see, that's not under threat in Illinois, but teachers unions now can begin to bargain for curriculum," Bailey said.

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The candidates also spoke about the polls, which favor Gov. Pritzker, and the chances of a Bailey upset.