Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to seek a 3rd term amid questions about higher political ambitions
CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will seek a third term in office next year amid growing questions about the Democrat's ambitions for higher office.
The Democrat will announce his intentions Thursday at an event in Chicago, according to two people familiar with his plans who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly ahead of the events.
The 60-year-old wealthy businessman was a top contender as Kamala Harris' running mate during her 2024 presidential run. Pritzker, who has spent years building his national political profile, remains a vocal critic of President Donald Trump.
He has often been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate for his party, fanned by travel to New Hampshire, fundraising and campaigning for Democrats across the country. It's not clear if he may still consider a bid in 2028 or later.
'To be in public office right now is to constantly ask yourself, 'How do I make sure I'm standing on the right side of history?'' he said at a June commencement address at Knox College in Illinois. 'There is a simple answer: The wrong side of history will always tell you to be afraid. The right side of history will always expect you to be brave.'
Illinois does not have term limits. Pritzker is the first governor to seek a third term since Republican Jim Thompson in 1982.
Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, is a former private equity investor and a philanthropist. He became governor in 2019, his first time serving in public office after losing a 1998 Democratic primary for a suburban congressional seat.
He bested a crowded primary field for governor and went on to defeat one-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, a venture capitalist.
The 2018 matchup was one of the nation's most expensive statewide political races, with more than $250 million raised between the largely self-funded candidates. Questions about the wealth and relatability of both candidates — who each have buildings in Chicago named after their families — came up often.
For instance, Pritzker faced questions about his Chicago mansion's property taxes. He received a tax break after having the toilets removed from a second mansion he owns next to his family residence and declaring it 'uninhabitable.' Pritzker later repaid the county about $330,000.
Working with Democratic supermajorities in the House and Senate, Pritzker has boasted balanced budgets and paid down billions of dollars in debt, prompting several upgrades. He also has overseen increased education funding, the centralization of early childhood services, and new laws to make health insurance more comprehensive, accessible and affordable.
After receiving generally high marks in his first term for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pritzker defeated a Trump-endorsed Republican with 55% of the vote to become the first Illinois governor to be elected to a second term in 16 years. He promptly delivered a victory speech that seemed bound for a national campaign, denouncing Trump and asking: 'Are you ready to fight?'
He has continued to be among Trump's most vocal, no-holds-barred critics.
'Donald Trump is a convicted felon, liable for sexual assault, and a congenital liar,' Pritzker said after Trump's speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. 'He is a man who remains wholly unfit for the office of the presidency, both in temperament and character.'
In February, Pritzker, who is Jewish, compared the Trump administration to Nazi Germany
'I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly. But I know the history intimately — and have spent more time than probably anyone in this room with people who survived the Holocaust,' he said in February. 'Here's what I've learned: The root that tears apart your house's foundation begins as a seed, a seed of distrust and hate and blame.'
Pritzker, whose net worth is estimated as $3.7 billion by Forbes, has also bankrolled his political organization, 'Think Big America.' It aims to protect abortion rights and has supported state constitutional amendments to strengthen those protections in Ohio, Arizona and Nevada.
Pritzker says the fight for abortion rights is personal and credits his mother Sue with sparking his early interest in the cause when they attended abortion-rights rallies together. His mother died in a car accident when he was a teen. His father, Donald Pritzker, died years earlier of a heart attack when JB Pritzker was a young boy.
Pritzker is married with two children. He has several prominent family members. His sister Penny Pritzker, is a former U.S. special representative for Ukraine's economic recovery and was a U.S. commerce secretary in the Obama administration.
___
O'Connor reported from Springfield, Ill.
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USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Michelle Obama won't run for office, but her podcast may guide Democrats
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Dems in a ditch Michelle Obama's show also arrives at a time when the Democratic brand remains in the ditch with progressive voters. About one-third of Democrats said they are optimistic about their party's future, a May poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found. Though several Democrats are starting to make moves toward 2028, liberals have struggled with the lack of a main character to match Trump's political moxie the way then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi did in his first term. Lately, Democratic officeholders have clashed with federal agents at press conferences, immigration hearings and ICE facilities, creating viral moments that have been cheered by mainstream and more left-leaning progressives. More: Vance defends using military to quell protests, refers to Sen. Alex Padilla as 'José' Such actions have never been in either of the Obamas' style, and some Black political activists and artists have been emphasizing the need for "self-care" over political action in the aftermath of the 2024 election. "It's important for her to stay within the public space, so it's good that she wants to be active. She endorses candidates and stuff of that nature. I have no problem with that," said Steven Uzoukwu, a 33, a cybersecurity analyst from Baltimore, Maryland. "I just think we shouldn't rely on the Obamas to save America."
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Mamdani's New York mayoral primary win exposes Democratic divide
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His campaign told ABC News he's committed to meeting 'with anyone and everyone.' 'As Zohran has said throughout this campaign, he'll meet with anyone and everyone to move our city forward. Zohran's committed to delivering an administration of excellence that delivers an affordable and safe city for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected,' Mamdani campaign spokesperson Lekha Sunder said in a statement. Mark Gorton, founder of LimeWire and chairman of Tower Research Capital hedge fund, said he donated $250,000 to Cuomo's super PAC, Fix the City, after it became clear that his preferred candidate, Brad Lander, would not win the primary. However, Gorton acknowledged to ABC News he did so reluctantly. 'I was like, 'I'm tired of being on the outside -- I want to be on the inside,' he said. Still, he knew his top concerns -- support for cyclists, reducing car traffic and expanding bus service -- were not priorities for Cuomo. 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Veteran Democratic strategist Lis Smith, who once worked for Cuomo and is now a critic, told ABC News centrist Democrats are partially to blame for the former governor's loss and suggested they look in the mirror. 'It is baffling that they decided to cast their lot with a disgraced former governor who was run out of office and had no new ideas or inspirational message to offer New Yorkers. Spare us the freak out,' said Smith. 'This just seems like the last gasp of the establishment and the affiliated billionaires trying to stop a grassroots moment that, frankly, they helped fuel.'
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Wimbledon 2025: Coco Gauff is just 21 but already thinking about what to do after tennis
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