By Dave Dahl

BLOOMINGTON – The reported reboot of the Richard Irvin campaign looks a lot like how it started.

The Aurora mayor and Republican gubernatorial candidate is back to telling people he is Democrats’ “worst nightmare.”

Irvin, speaking with sheriffs in Bloomington Friday, is also back to saying he is intimidating Gov. JB Pritzker into throwing money – filtered through the Democratic Governors Association – at the campaign of State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), believing Bailey would be easier to beat in November.

“Pritzker and the national Democrats are funding Darren Bailey, because a vote for him is really a vote to re-elect JB Pritzker and continue the radical, radical poliec policies.

“A vote for me and (running mate and State Rep.) Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) is a vote to rise up and take back our state.”

The advertising funded by DGA appears to actually promote a well-lit, smiling Bailey as a pro-life, gun-owning right-wing hero.

At a news conference with sheriffs in Bloomington, Irvin – and even Bourne – worked in some form of the phrase “A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote for JB Pritzker” countless times in response to questions, some of which were about reports of sinking poll numbers and an Irvin strategic pivot. To that, Irvin says a “reassessment” happens in all campaigns.

This one has a little more than two weeks to go.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]