Congressman Mike Bost survives competitive GOP primary challenge to win nomination for sixth term

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Congressman Mike Bost has won the Republican nomination in a competitive downstate primary battle with former state Sen. Darren Bailey. Bailey, the 2022 GOP nominee for Illinois governor, challenged the five-term incumbent, claiming he wasn’t conservative enough for the district that encompasses virtually the entire bottom one-third of the state. He sought the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, but Trump chose Bost. Bailey attempted to capitalize on the shift to the right in the 12th District after the 2020 Census. The 63-year-old Bost made the case that seniority and know-how mean better constituent service and moving legislation helpful to the district more readily than a newcomer who needs “on-the-job training.”