On Friday, October 24th, the Will County Republican Central Committee hosted its annual Freedom Day Dinner—an evening designed for fellowship, ballot signing, and connection. Republicans from all walks of life gathered to share refreshments, conversation, and time with candidates who seek to represent our values.
But this year's dinner carried a weight unlike any other.
Just two days earlier, our community was shaken by devastating news: Darren Bailey, the Republican candidate for Governor, had lost his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren in a tragic helicopter crash. The kind of loss that defies words. The kind of grief that stops the world.
When Aaron DelMar, Bailey's lieutenant governor running mate, rose to speak on Darren's behalf, the once-bustling room fell into complete silence. What followed wasn't a political speech—it was a testament to the values we hold sacred: faith, freedom, and family.
DelMar didn't use the moment to advance his own candidacy or seize the spotlight. Instead, he spoke from the heart about Darren Bailey's character, his unwavering dedication to the principles that unite us, and most importantly, his love for his family. His words brought tears to eyes across the room—not because they were polished or rehearsed, but because they were real.
In an era where the media profits from division and political discourse has devolved into a spectacle of conflict, what unfolded that evening was a powerful rebuke to that narrative. This wasn't political theater. This was genuine human decency—the kind that reminds us who we really are when the cameras aren't rolling and the headlines aren't being written.
DelMar called on all of us to set aside our differences, our internal competitions, and our individual pursuits to simply be there for one another in times of unimaginable pain. And remarkably, his call was answered. James Mendrick another gubernatorial candidate competing for the same office, announced he would suspend all campaign events until after the visitation and funeral services. Two men, vying for the same position, choosing integrity over opportunity. Choosing unity over advancement.
This is the Republican Party the media doesn't want you to see—the one that doesn't fit neatly into the narrative of discord and division they've grown dependent on. While headlines scream about conflict and chaos, here were Republicans doing what we've always done best: standing shoulder to shoulder when it matters most, putting principle above politics, and proving that our commitment to community isn't conditional on convenience.
Witnessing this moment gave me something I hadn't expected to find at a political dinner: profound hope.
Hope that the values we champion aren't just convenient slogans, but convictions we live by even when—especially when—it costs us something. Hope that while others profit from tearing people apart, we are actively working to bring them together. Hope that the integrity displayed by DelMar and Mendrick isn't an exception, but a reflection of who we truly are as a movement.
The Republican Party faces constant criticism, much of it designed to paint us as divisive, uncaring, or self-serving. But on that Friday evening, I witnessed the truth that no biased headline can erase: we are a party that knows how to rally around its own, lift up the broken, and prove that in the face of tragedy, we are united by something far greater than partisan labels or political ambition.
While the media thrives on manufacturing division, we are building bridges. While others exploit pain for clicks and ratings, we are showing up with compassion and solidarity. This is the Republican Party at its finest—not seeking the spotlight, but simply doing what's right because it's right.
That is the party—and the future—worth fighting for.
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