The Baileys

Senator Chuck Schumer, the creator of the Baileys, in 2023

Joe and Eileen Bailey, referred to as the Baileys, are a fictional middle-class family created by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer to use as a reference point for evaluating policy ideas and decisions. Schumer first publicly described the Baileys in Positively American, his 2007 book. Schumer stated at the time that he had "been living with the Baileys for decades. I talk to them. I know them. They're real to me."

Schumer has attributed all of his political success throughout his career to the Baileys.

Schumer has described the Baileys as "Reagan-era Republicans." The Baileys include husband Joe, wife Eileen, and three children. They live in Massapequa, New York, and according to Schumer, both voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election; only Joe Bailey voted for Trump in 2020.

Political views

Schumer has stated that the Baileys are not affiliated with one party, but are independents, and considered swing voters. Despite this, Joe has voted for the Republican Party nominee for president eight or nine times and the Democratic Party nominee three or four times. Eileen has voted for the Republican Party nominee seven or eight times, and the Democratic Party nominee for president four or five times.

The Baileys very much do not like flag burning and see the act as a personal affront.

Schumer stated that in 2006, the Baileys voted for a Democrat "for the first time in years".

Voting record in presidential elections

Election Joe's Vote Eileen's Vote
1980 Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan
1984 Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan
1988 George H.W. Bush George H.W. Bush
1992 Bill Clinton Bill Clinton
1996 Bill Clinton Bill Clinton
2000 George W. Bush George W. Bush
2004 George W. Bush ("eagerly") George W. Bush
2008 Unknown Unknown
2012 Barack Obama Barack Obama
2016 Donald Trump Donald Trump
2020 Donald Trump ("with misgivings") Unknown (not Donald Trump)
2024 Donald Trump Donald Trump

The family

Schumer stated that they were 45 years old in March 2007, which makes them 64–65 years old in November 2026. Joe Bailey is an insurance salesman who earned $50,000 in 2007. Eileen Bailey works part-time in a medical office and earned a salary of $20,000 in 2007.

Joe and Eileen have three children; one of their children, Abby, was 11 years old when the book was released in 2007.

History

Schumer first referred to the Baileys as the O'Reillys, changing their name to the Baileys, according to Schumer's spokesperson at the time, "to make them appeal to a national audience." Prior to the spokesperson's statement, a former aide had told The Hill that Schumer changed their name because the O'Reillys was "too ethnic", which Schumer's spokesperson at the time refuted.

Reactions

Upon release

Soon after Positively American was released, a number of outlets reported on the existence of the Baileys as an imaginary family that Senator Schumer would "consult" when making policy decisions. Upon the publishing, there was some uncertainty about the original name for the family, where exactly they lived, if their name was ever changed and, if it had been changed, for what reason.

Political commentator Maggie Gallagher, writing in RealClearPolitics, said of the Baileys "Ahem, on behalf of all of Chuck's 19 million fellow constituents: Does the good senator really know no actual hard-working families he might consult, who have the additional advantage of actually existing?"

Subsequent reactions

The Baileys were featured in episode 20 of season 12 of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; the episode featured a dramatic rendition of a conversation Oliver imagines the Baileys might have. Oliver reports that in Schumer's book Positively American, the Baileys are mentioned 265 times over the 264-page book. In the episode, Oliver criticized Schumer for attempting to tailor Democratic policy toward right-wing suburban voters like the Baileys while alienating other parts of the Democratic base and additional non-voters in the process.

Expressing his disappointment in Schumer after his handling of the 2025 United States federal government shutdown, journalist Jeet Heer wrote in The Nation "Schumer's colleagues should also encourage him to resign from the Senate itself. One argument they can make is that in retirement Schumer will have much more time to carry on his chats with the Baileys." Heer's column was titled "Chuck Schumer Should Resign to Spend More Time With His Imaginary Friends".

References

  1. ↑ Solomon, Deborah (January 28, 2007). "You Listening to Me?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  2. ↑ Kakutani, Michiko (January 26, 2007). "Schumer to Democrats: Challenges Ahead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2026.
  3. ↑ Continetti, Matthew (November 13, 2025). "Opinion | The Tragedy of Chuck Schumer". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 CONTINETTI, MATTHEW (February 19, 2007). "The Full Schumer: The senator from New York and his imaginary friends". The Weekly Standard. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Schumer Mocked for Mentioning Imaginary Couple Hundreds of Times". Yahoo News. August 12, 2025. Retrieved November 8, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Transcript: Ezra Klein Interviews Chuck Schumer". The New York Times. April 30, 2021. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 6, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Schumer's imaginary Baileys probably voted for Trump and him". Newsday. November 20, 2016. Archived from the original on November 8, 2026. Retrieved November 8, 2026.
  8. 1 2 Mahdawi, Arwa (November 15, 2025). "Chuck Schumer should quit – but would his imaginary friends agree?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved November 8, 2026.
  9. ↑ Heuvel, Katrina vanden (February 12, 2007). "Note to Schumer: What About George Bailey?". ISSN 0027-8378. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  10. Schumer, Charles E (2007). Positively American: Winning Back the Middle-class Majority One Family at a Time. Rodale Books. ISBN 9781594865725.
    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 P 25
    2. ↑ P 24
  11. ↑ Pillifant, Reid (August 6, 2012). "Schumer's 'Baileys' are back, and they're inclined to tough it out with Obama". POLITICO. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  12. ↑ Garcia-Navarro, Lulu (March 16, 2025). "Chuck Schumer on Democrats, Antisemitism and His Shutdown Retreat". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 11, 2026.
  13. 1 2 Goldberg, Jeffrey (March 12, 2007). "Imaginary Friends". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  14. ↑ Heuvel, Katrina vanden (February 12, 2007). "Note to Schumer: What About George Bailey?". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  15. ↑ Heil, Emily (February 1, 2007). "Keeping up with Schumer's Baileys". The Hill. Archived from the original on November 15, 2025. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  16. ↑ Smith, Ben (January 29, 2007). "Names Changed to Protect the Imaginary". POLITICO. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2026.
  17. ↑ "RealClearPolitics - Articles - Chuck Schumer's Imaginary Friends". www.realclearpolitics.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  18. ↑ "John Oliver Calls Out Chuck Schumer's Imaginary Massapequa Friends". Daily Voice. September 3, 2025. Retrieved November 9, 2026.
  19. ↑ Staff (August 13, 2025). "Chuck Schumer Mocked for Having 'Imaginary Friends'". WIBC 93.1 FM. Archived from the original on November 8, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ Heer, Jeet (March 17, 2025). "Chuck Schumer Should Resign to Spend More Time With His Imaginary Friends". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved November 11, 2026.