Illinois election officials began deliberations over accusations of illegal campaign coordination in the 2022 gubernatorial race. According to a report from Capitol News Illinois, the State Board of Elections is weighing evidence about whether conservative radio host Dan Proft and Republican candidate Darren Bailey broke the rules that keep campaigns and super PACs from joining forces.

Proft's political action committee, dubbed the People Who Play By The Rules PAC, allegedly dangled a $20 million carrot in front of Bailey if he agreed to let Proft take the reins of the campaign. This proposition was supposedly made during a covert confab at a Chicago-area country club the day after Bailey's primary victory. Bailey, however, chose to stick by his original campaign manager and refused to fire his team in exchange for the funds. This decision was meant to allow the campaign to continue without reproof, but according to a revelation by the Chicago Tribune, the meeting itself could suggest a dance of impropriety.

The complaint against Bailey and Proft, launched by a top official of the state's Democratic Party, highlights a series of maneuvers, including using campaign footage in ads and Bailey's appearances on Proft's radio show as evidence of coordination between the campaign and the PAC. Proft countered during a hearing, saying of his radio show appearances, "I don’t care. You know, you just have to deal with this specious lawfare from fraudsters like Mark Elias representing fraudsters like Jelly Belly Pritzker," a clear dig at his political adversaries.

Witness testimony and scrutiny of campaign transactions showed that, despite declining Proft's offer, Bailey's campaign was far from being out of reach from Uihlein's deep pockets. Throughout the campaign, Uihlein filtered millions into the Bailey-affiliated PAC. Ultimately, Bailey lost the election to incumbent Gov. J.B. Pritzker despite the heavy monetary backing. The case's outcome will be decided this summer, as evident from a Chicago Tribune report.