The man is accused of threatening to kill the Republican Party candidate

A Chicago man was arrested earlier this week for allegedly threatening to “mutilate and kill” Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey in a voicemail left in one of Bailey’s offices, police said in a statement.

Scott M. Lennox, 21, of the 3300 block of North Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive, was charged with threatening a public official, a felony, and two counts of stalking after his arrest by Illinois State Police .

A judge ordered Lennox held on $75,000 bail Wednesday afternoon.

The alleged threat against Bailey comes less than two weeks before the general election in which the Republican state senator from Xenia is running against incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Bailey could not be reached for comment.

Pritzker took to Twitter on Wednesday to condemn the incident, saying the “violent rhetoric and divisiveness we’re seeing across the country is unacceptable.”

“Hate in any form has no place in Illinois,” the governor continued.

Democratic House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside also condemned the incident. “We need to stop these violent threats,” Welch tweeted. “Politicians on both sides of the aisle need to tone down the rhetoric and bring civility back into our politics. I don’t agree with Mr Bailey’s politics, but I want nothing but the best for him and his family.’

According to a police report, Lennox called one of Bailey’s Senate officers at about 10:30 p.m. Friday and left a voicemail threatening to “mutilate and kill” Bailey.

State police learned that Lennox was the owner of the cell phone used to make the threats against Bailey, according to the police report.

Authorities said Lennox eventually admitted to threatening Bailey. Lennox was arrested Monday morning and taken to a detention center on Chicago’s North Side.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com