Latest news with #JBPritzker
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
At Belleville campaign stop, Illinois Gov. Pritzker touts metro-east investments
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker continued a statewide tour announcing his reelection bid for a third term on Friday — and pitched Metro East residents on his record of state investments in the region. Speaking to a crowd at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, the Democratic governor touted his administration's funding of a handful of projects: New public safety center in East St. Louis Southwestern Illinois Justice & Workforce Development Campus in Belleville Repairs to Interstate 270 and the New Chain of Rocks Bridge in Madison County Terminal expansion at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in St. Clair County Construction of the new Madison County Transit headquarters in Pontoon Beach Expansion of a copper plant in East Alton with state incentives Repairs to Cahokia Heights' decrepit stormwater and sewer system 'It's been a lot of years since we've seen this many big projects happening in this region, and I'm so proud of that,' Pritzker said. 'It's happened because of all of you. You've expressed the need for it. It's been realized and recognized by the people you sent to Springfield, and then we delivered on it. That's how state government ought to work.' Friday's appearance in Belleville marked the governor's fifth stop across the state after he announced Thursday that he'd seek a third term. 'Belleville, SWIC and Metro East, all you who are here today, it would be my honor to serve you for another four years,' the two-term governor said to applause. After his Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton threw her name into the mix for Sen. Dick Durbin's seat, Pritzker has yet to name a running mate for this election cycle, although he's said he will make that decision by the end of July. Pritzker's decision to run for a third term comes as many speculate he could have ambitions for the White House.
NBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
How JB Pritzker's decision to run for reelection could impact his 2028 aspirations: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, Lawrence Hurley previews a major Supreme Court decision day. Plus, Natasha Korecki explores the 2028 implications of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's decision to seek a third term. — Adam Wollner How JB Pritzker's decision to run for re-election could impact his 2028 aspirations Analysis by Natasha Korecki From Chicago's South Side, JB Pritzker, who has emerged as a prominent national voice of resistance to President Donald Trump, announced today he was running — for a third term as governor of Illinois. It's no secret Pritzker has White House ambitions, with his frequent cable news interviews, political investments in national battlegrounds and visits to states likely to be early on a presidential primary calendar. Appearing on the ballot in November 2026 doesn't preclude him from running for president. But it does push Pritzker into a potentially precarious position as other Democrats begin dipping their toes into the 2028 waters. As the sure-to-be-packed field ramps up, Pritzker will be stumping in one of the bluest states in the nation. As he does, he will have to answer if he plans to stick around for all four years of his state job. If he's re-elected, he'll have to wait a requisite amount of time before shifting into White House mode. By then, will a newcomer capture the Democratic energy? Will potential opponents get a leg up on out-organizing and defining him? GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis found himself in this predicament when he first sought re-election in Florida in 2022 before announcing a 2024 bid. By the time DeSantis entered the race, Trump had already established a foothold in the contest. Of course, Democrats' dynamic heading into 2028 is markedly different from that of the GOP primary that featured a former president who led one of the biggest movements in modern politics. But already, former Chicago mayor and ex-White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel — who hails from Pritzker's state — is openly exploring a presidential bid. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has spent months drawing progressive crowds on the road with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Democratic governors like Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer, who are bound by term limits and will be out of office come early 2027, will be free to begin building organizations and raising money for potential White House bids. Pritzker would be far from the first politician who held office while running for president. And as a billionaire who has bankrolled his own campaigns, he is uniquely situated to shift into a national posture. A veteran Illinois political operative and Pritzker ally said running for a national post while holding state office could be an asset. 'I see it completely opposite. You're better off running with the platform as Illinois governor,' this person said. 'This is his third term, and so he can walk and chew gum. He can do events as Illinois governor. And we know that 50% of JB will make a better governor than anybody else out there. I don't see it as remotely problematic or complicated at all.' But as another Democratic strategist put it to us earlier this week: 'The minute JB announces he's running, JB would have taken himself out of the presidential conversation from June 2025 to November 2026. Do you really want to cede the field for a year and five months?' Tomorrow is shaping up to be a big day at the Supreme Court By Lawrence Hurley The Supreme Court is set to conclude its nine-month term tomorrow with a flurry of rulings. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has six cases left to decide of those in which it heard oral arguments in the current term. The one that has attracted the most attention is President Donald Trump's attempt to end automatic birthright citizenship. The case focuses not on the lawfulness of the proposal itself but whether federal judges had the power to block it nationwide while litigation continues. What the court says about so-called nationwide injunctions could have wide-ranging impacts, with judges frequently ruling against Trump on his broad use of executive power. The court also has the option of sidestepping a decision on that issue and instead taking up the merits of the plan. Birthright citizenship is conferred under the Constitution's 14th Amendment. The long-standing interpretation of the provision as understood by generations of Americans, including legal scholars on the left and right, is that anyone born on U.S. soil is an American citizen with a few minor exceptions, including people who are the children of diplomats. Along with birthright citizenship, the other five cases the court has to decide concern: Whether conservative religious parents can opt their elementary school-age children out of LGBTQ-themed books in class. Long-running litigation over whether congressional districts in Louisiana are lawful. A law enacted in Texas that imposes age restrictions for using adult websites. A challenge to the Affordable Care Act's preventive care task force. A Federal Communications Commission program that subsidizes phone and internet services in underserved areas. More from SCOTUS: The Supreme Court ruled today for South Carolina in its effort to defund Planned Parenthood, concluding that individual Medicaid patients cannot sue to enforce their right to pick a medical provider. 🎙️ Here's the Scoop This week, NBC News launched ' Here's the Scoop,' a new evening podcast that brings you a fresh take on the day's top stories in 15 minutes or less. In today's episode, host Morgan Chesky discusses the newest recommendations out of the CDC's vaccine advisory panel with NBC News medical contributor Dr. John Torres. Listen to the episode here →
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pritzker announces run for re-election. Does Illinois have term limits for governor?
Gov. JB Pritzker announced his run for re-election in a June 26 news release, vowing at a Chicago rally today to "protect (Illinois') story." But how many terms are governors allowed to serve in Illinois? Is there a limit? Here's what to know. No, Illinois does not have a limit on the number of terms a governor can serve. It is one of 13 states without such a term limit. Pritzker visiting Peoria: Follow his stops throughout Illinois The following 13 states don't have gubernatorial term limits: Washington Idaho Utah Minnesota Wisconsin Illinois Iowa Texas New York Connecticut Vermont New Hampshire Massachusetts Pritzker has served two terms (or seven years) since being elected in 2018. The term of a governor in Illinois is four years. The longest-serving governor in Illinois was James Robert Thomson, who served from 1977-1991, according to the National Governors Association. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Does Illinois have term limits for governor? Pritzker runs for re-election
Axios
2 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Universal bringing horror venue to Chicago River
A horror venue will open along the Chicago River in 2027. Driving the news: Universal Destinations & Experiences announced Thursday it will build a "year-round immersive horror experience" called Universal Horror Unleashed at 700 W. Chicago Ave. in a vacant 114,000-square-foot building. Zoom in: Universal is promising "terrifying mazes, unforgettable scares, themed bars and unique food and beverage offerings, and a retail space featuring exclusive merchandise" at the new facility, which will be across from the expected Bally's Casino. Officials say the venue will create more than 400 permanent jobs in roles that include operations leaders, merchandise hosts, entertainers called scareactors, and make-up and prosthetics artists. What they're saying:"This is exactly the kind of creative, high-impact investment we're working to attract — one that brings new life to a vacant site, creates hundreds of jobs, and cements Chicago as a must-visit destination for entertainment tourism," Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. Between the lines: The project will receive state incentives through the Illinois EDGE program, and state officials predict Horror Unleashed will generate $1 billion in economic impact. "Universal choosing Illinois didn't happen by accident — we were proud to support this project through our EDGE incentive program, which has helped fortify a positive business climate that draws world-class companies to the state," Gov. JB Pritzker said.
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
JB Pritzker to seek third term as Illinois governor amid 2028 speculation
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday that he would run for a third term in 2026, amid speculation over his ambitions for the 2028 presidential race, with the release of a campaign launch video featuring sharp criticism of President Donald Trump. 'Donald Trump's made clear he'll stop at nothing to get his way. I'm not about to stand by and let him tear down all we're building in Illinois,' Pritzker says, appearing at the geographic center-point of the state. In the video, Pritzker touts his accomplishments as governor over his first two terms, highlighting successful state budgets, minimum wage increases, gun safety efforts, and job growth. Pritzker also echoes the focus of many Democratic candidates on key issues including affordability and abortion rights. And the billionaire governor, among several high-profile potential contenders for his party's 2028 presidential nomination, presents himself as an effective bulwark against the Trump administration. 'Government ought to stand up for working families and be a force for good, not a weapon of revenge. Donald Trump's made clear he'll stop at nothing to get his way. I'm not about to stand by and let him tear down all we're building in Illinois,' Pritzker says, just ahead of his official declaration that 'I'm running for reelection.' Pritzker is set to formally kick off his reelection campaign with an event in Chicago later Thursday. In the aftermath of Democrats' losses in 2024, Pritzker has emerged as one of several aspiring leaders for a party still searching for a path back to power. Already the two-term governor of the nation's sixth-most populous state, Pritzker – an heir to a historic family fortune – has leveraged his wealth and influence to raise his profile while the party rebuilds. He donated $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Democratic Party earlier this year for the blockbuster fight over a state Supreme Court seat, clashing with a rival billionaire, Elon Musk, in a significant victory for liberals. And he's adopted a confrontational approach to the Trump administration while encouraging other Democrats to follow suit. At a Capitol Hill hearing earlier this month, Pritzker rebuked the Trump administration over its immigration enforcement actions and the deployment of military assets to respond to protests in Los Angeles. 'We will not participate in abuses of power. We will not violate court orders. We will not ignore the Constitution. We will not defy the Supreme Court. We will not take away people's rights to peacefully protest,' Pritzker said. 'We also respect and expect this administration to respect the traditions and legal precedents that dictate how and when our National Guard and military are deployed.' Pritzker also traveled in April to the traditional early presidential primary state of New Hampshire, further stoking speculation about his ambitions for 2028 while exhorting his party to buck up for the fight against the second Trump administration. 'The reckoning,' he told a room full of revved up Democrats, 'is here.' In a CNN interview during his visit to the state, Pritzker detailed his feelings about the politics of the moment. 'There is certain momentum where people are now feeling like – well, the politicians are feeling like, 'Oh there's a political reason why I should now speak out and be a fighter.' I don't care why you're joining the fight at this point, we just need everybody out there, right?' he said. 'And then there are others who are joining the fight because they're coming to a real realization that, 'This is much worse than I thought it would be and it's getting worse.' And then I look at some of the people who have capitulated and I wonder in the end, is this how you want people to think of you?' CNN's Edward-Isaac Dovere contributed to this report.
