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JB Pritzker: From political neophyte to 43rd governor of Illinois — and potential US presidential candidate
JB Pritzker: From political neophyte to 43rd governor of Illinois — and potential US presidential candidate

Yahoo

time8 hours ago

  • Business
  • Yahoo

JB Pritzker: From political neophyte to 43rd governor of Illinois — and potential US presidential candidate

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker this week set out to make history, launching his bid to become the first Illinois governor since the 1980s to be elected to more than two terms in office. A win next year also would make Pritzker, 60, the first Democrat ever in Illinois to win three terms. Republican James R. Thompson was Illinois' longest-serving governor, winning election four times straight and holding the office from 1977 to 1991. A century earlier, when the Grand Old Party was a new force in politics, Republican Richard Oglesby won three nonconsecutive elections, in 1864, '72 and '84, although he resigned 10 days after being sworn in for his second term to join the U.S. Senate. Two other Republicans, Dwight Green in 1948 and William Stratton in 1960, made unsuccessful third-term attempts, losing to Democrats Adlai Stevenson II and Otto Kerner, respectively. Pritzker is not expected to have significant competition for the Democratic primary in March and it remains to be seen whether any high-profile Republicans will mount a campaign to challenge him in November 2026. He's also publicly flirted with the idea of running for president in 2028. So as Pritzker embarks on another campaign, here's a look back at how the Hyatt Hotels heir went from political neophyte to 43rd governor of Illinois and potential Democratic presidential contender. Pritzker's story begins when his great-grandfather Nicholas J. Pritzker came to Chicago from Kyiv in 1881 to escape the anti-Jewish Russian pogroms in present-day Ukraine. Nicholas Pritzker eventually founded a law firm, but the family's business empire got going in the next generation, when one of Nicholas' sons and JB's grandfather, A.N. Pritzker, and great-uncle began investing in real estate and other ventures. The family is best known for Hyatt, but other high-profile investments have included Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ticketmaster and credit bureau TransUnion. Today, the extended Pritzker clan is the sixth-richest family in America, with an estimated fortune of $41.6 billion, according to Forbes. (JB's share is estimated at $3.7 billion.) Born into affluence in California in 1965, Jay Robert Pritzker — named after his two uncles and called JB for short — didn't have an idyllic childhood. Both of his parents died before he turned 18. His father, Donald, died of a heart attack in 1972 at age 39, and his mother, Sue, struggled with alcoholism. She died a decade later, almost to the day, when she leaped out of a tow truck that was pulling her car, and she was run over. Despite her struggles, Sue Pritzker's philanthropy and involvement in the Democratic Party inspired JB's interest in politics and activism, particularly in the area of reproductive rights. While he was only first elected to public office in 2018, Pritzker has long nursed political ambitions. After graduating from Duke University in the 1980s, he worked on Capitol Hill as an aide to Democratic U.S. Sens. Terry Sanford of North Carolina and Alan Dixon of Illinois. Returning to the Chicago area to attend law school at Northwestern University in the early 1990s, he formed Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century. The group sought to bring more young voices into the party and helped spur the careers of several prominent Illinois officials and Democratic operatives, including Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat. In 1998, Pritzker made his first run for public office, finishing in a disappointing third place in a Democratic primary to replace 24-term U.S. Rep. Sidney Yates. The winner was Jan Schakowsky. She went on to win the general election and has held the seat since, although Schakowsky recently announced she isn't running for another term. 'Could I live a happy life without ever running for public office again?' Pritzker said in a Tribune profile after losing the race. 'I suppose that I can imagine not running, but I feel I have something important that I can do. And my skin is far thicker now.' It would be two decades before he'd put his name on the ballot again. But ambitions lingered. In a 2008 phone call secretly recorded by federal investigators, Pritzker spoke with then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose campaigns he'd contributed to, as the Chicago Democratic governor schemed over who to appoint to the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by then-President-elect Barack Obama. On the call, first revealed by the Tribune during the 2018 governor's race, Pritzker expressed disinterest in the Senate appointment but suggested Blagojevich might make him state treasurer if the position became vacant. Blagojevich and Pritzker also were recorded discussing various Black officials who were potential Senate appointees in language that caused a stir during the 2018 campaign. Aside from his own aspirations, Pritzker was a major backer of Hillary Clinton in both her presidential bids, even as his older sister Penny served as finance chair for Illinois' favorite son, Obama, in 2008. Ahead of the 2016 election, JB Pritzker and his wife, MK, gave $15.6 million to pro-Clinton political action committee Priorities USA Action. Out of the political spotlight, Pritzker built up his resume as an investor and philanthropist. While his name and fortune are closely associated with Hyatt, Pritzker only worked for the family hotel business as a teenager. He made his mark in the business realm through New World Ventures, a tech-focused investment fund founded with his older brother, Anthony, and later renamed Pritzker Group Venture Capital. The brothers also started Pritzker Group, which, in addition to the venture fund, includes private equity and asset management components. In 2012, Pritzker founded the nonprofit tech incubator 1871 to help spur Chicago's tech sector, later collaborating closely with then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel. In a 2014 profile highlighting the project, Chicago magazine dubbed Pritzker 'The Other Mayor of Chicago.' In the philanthropic world, Pritzker helped found and fund the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, and he, along with MK, launched the Pritzker Family Foundation in 2001, which funds initiatives in early childhood education and other areas. Spurred by Clinton's loss to Republican Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election and the bruising budget battles in Springfield between then-Gov. and GOP multimillionaire Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-controlled legislature, Pritzker entered the 2018 campaign for Illinois governor. Defeating political scion Chris Kennedy and then-state Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston in the Democratic primary, Pritzker ultimately poured more than $170 million of his own money into the campaign. Combined with $79 million for Rauner, including $50 million from the incumbent himself and $22.5 million from billionaire Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, it resulted in what's believed to be the most expensive governor's race in U.S. history, which Pritzker won by nearly 16 points. Four years later, Pritzker spent another $167 million to beat back a challenge from conservative southern Illinois state Sen. Darren Bailey, who got backing from billionaire ultraconservative Richard Uihlein, founder of the Uline packaging supplies firm. Pritzker's 2022 spending total included $27 million he gave to the Democratic Governors Association, which aired ads during the GOP primary labeling Bailey as too conservative. The move was a thinly veiled attempt to set up what Pritzker's team saw as an easier general election matchup, boosting Bailey among Republican primary voters over then-Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, backed by $50 million from Pritzker nemesis Griffin. Pritzker beat Bailey by 13 points that fall. Through the end of 2022, Pritzker spent nearly $350 million on the two campaigns. Over the past two years, he's deposited another $25 million in his campaign account and had $3.4 million remaining at the end of April, state records show. A hallmark of Pritzker's two terms in office has been his handling of the state's chronically shaky finances. While he failed to convince voters in 2020 to amend the state constitution to create a graduated-rate income tax, an effort into which he sunk $58 million, Pritzker has received high marks from ratings agencies and other observers for his handling of the budget. After years of downgrades, the state has seen its credit rating raised by all the major agencies, though it still ranks near the bottom compared to the other 49 states. Spending has increased by nearly a third during his time in office, without adjusting for inflation. But the state largely has avoided using gimmicks to balance the budget on Pritzker's watch and received its first credit upgrades in decades. Tighter financial times have returned, however, with the state budget that takes effect July 1 cutting funding for health insurance for noncitizen immigrants younger than 65 and pausing Pritzker's proposed expansion of state-funded preschool programs, among other trims. Rather than trying again to fix a state tax system he once described as 'unfair' and 'inadequate,' Pritzker has instead blamed Trump and his economic policies for the state's latest budget woes. Aided by overwhelming Democratic majorities in the state legislature, which he helped secure through his political largesse, Pritzker has built a resume almost any governor in the party would be happy to claim. His accomplishments in the legislature include raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, enshrining abortion rights in state law, legalizing recreational marijuana while expunging prior convictions, and enacting a $45 billion infrastructure program, the largest in state history. And that was just his first year. He has also enacted an ambitious energy policy that aims to make Illinois' energy generation carbon-free by 2050, as well as an overhaul of the criminal justice system that has eliminated cash bail. In one of the first acts of his second term, Pritzker in early 2023 signed a sweeping gun ban that prohibits the sale or possession of a long list of high-powered semiautomatic firearms and high-capacity ammunition magazines, a response to the mass shooting at Highland Park's Fourth of July parade months earlier. While facing ongoing legal challenges, the law has remained in force. More recently, he's taken on what he describes as the predatory practices of health insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers. He's also made moves, with mixed results, to position Illinois as a leader in emerging industries such as electric vehicles and quantum technology. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 tested Pritzker's leadership and, in some ways, ended a brief honeymoon period he had with some members of the legislature's Republican minority. Decisions to shut schools and issue a stay-at-home order brought the state government into people's lives in unprecedented ways. Aside from conservative criticism over Pritzker's use of executive power, the pandemic exposed problems at state agencies under his control, including an outbreak at a state-run veterans home in LaSalle that led to 36 deaths and an overwhelmed unemployment system that elicited some bipartisan criticism. His administration also has come under fire for continued problems at the beleaguered Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the handling of resident mistreatment at homes for the developmentally disabled. And a state inspector general has found rampant fraud among state employees who abused the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program, a pandemic-era lifeline for businesses. Pritzker's administration also was forced to respond when Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas in 2022 began sending busloads of migrants from the southern border to Chicago, creating a crisis for the city and state and inflaming tensions with Mayors Lori Lightfoot and Brandon Johnson. The governor has also faced criticism for working with legislative Democrats to exclude Republicans from the process of allocating funds for local infrastructure projects and for not taking significant enough steps to strengthen government ethics laws, despite a sprawling federal corruption probe involving state lawmakers and local officials and a series of high-profile convictions during his tenure. A vociferous Trump critic, Pritzker has long been believed to harbor presidential ambitions, speculation he's done little to quell even as he has professed his dedication to Illinois. The governor lobbied hard to bring last year's Democratic National Convention to Chicago, serving as de facto host for an event widely seen as a success, at least until Trump emerged victorious in November. Pritzker, at least publicly, stood behind President Joe Biden until he dropped out, declining to mount a primary challenge to a sitting president or to enter the fray when Vice President Kamala Harris became the consensus pick of party leaders. He was vetted to join Harris on the ticket but was passed over in favor of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. In 2023, he launched Think Big America, a dark money group that has backed abortion rights ballot measures and pro-abortion rights candidates across the country. He's also poured money into two recent Wisconsin Supreme Court races, backing candidates that reclaimed and then maintained a liberal majority in the pivotal swing state. In addition to running his campaign for reelection next year, Pritzker is putting his force behind Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, his two-time running mate, in her Democratic primary bid for U.S. Senate. Heading into 2026, a big question is whether and how quickly Pritzker will pivot to a 2028 presidential bid if he wins a third term as governor.

What Pritzker's running mate pick says about his national plans
What Pritzker's running mate pick says about his national plans

Axios

time12 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Axios

What Pritzker's running mate pick says about his national plans

Gov. JB Pritzker made his reelection bid official on Thursday, but stopped short of introducing a new running mate now that current Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is running for U.S. Senate. Why it matters: With rumors swirling that Pritzker could run for president in 2028, his new running mate could be next in line to ascend to the governor's mansion. What they're saying:"I wanted to set a standard for my successors that if you desire to hold this office, you must be first in line to sing our state's praises and last to belabor her shortcomings," Pritzker said Thursday. I want it to be the expectation and not the exception that if you want to be Governor of Illinois, well then you better love her like she deserves." Context: If Pritzker won reelection in 2026, it would not prohibit him from running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028. He could hold onto the governor's seat while running for the White House, or he could step aside and give the job to the lieutenant governor. State election law says the lieutenant governor would take over as governor until the next election cycle. Flashback: It's only been since 2014 that the candidates for governor and the lieutenant governor have run together. Before that, the elected offices were split on the ballot. Zoom in: Since Democrats have a slew of statewide officeholders, the list is long on possible replacements for Stratton. Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs, Comptroller Susana Mendoza and Attorney General Kwame Raoul have all won statewide elections and could be big draws for a Pritzker ticket. Yes, but: If they ran for lieutenant governor, they could not run for reelection for their respective offices, which are all on the ballot in 2026. This could create an opportunity for the Illinois GOP to swoop in and win a statewide office, which they currently do not hold. The intrigue: It's not just the statewide offices factoring into who might be interested for the state's No. 2 job. The Chicago mayoral race takes place in early 2027, and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is rumored to be kicking the tires on a potential run. Between the lines: Pritzker could also go with a lesser-known Democrat as his running mate, much like he did by choosing Stratton in 2018, who was a fresh state representative from Chicago. Current Deputy Gov. Andy Manar and former Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell are two possible names. Also, Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia, who ran unsuccessfully for Secretary of State in 2022. The bottom line: Pritzker's reelection campaign has started, but the domino effect for Illinois Democrats could shuffle names on the 2026 ballot.

Pritzker's new moves
Pritzker's new moves

Politico

time18 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Politico

Pritzker's new moves

TGIF, Illinois. I'm hoping for a killer music weekend. NEW OVERNIGHT: Trump administration returns anti-terrorism funds held back from Chicago and other big cities, by your Playbook host TOP TALKER BIG MOVE: Gov. JB Pritzker officially kicked off his re-election campaign Thursday, taking the stage looking fitter and with a new message 'Keep Illinois Moving Forward.' On the trail, literally: After two campaigns focusing on 'big' ideas, Pritzker is all about moving. He was even spotted exercising on the trail by Lake Michigan in the early morning before Thursday's announcement. Moves like Jagger: And he spent the day zooming from one city to another, campaigning for what would be a third term, making him the first governor in more than 30 years to hold such a position. Pritzker's first stop was in the historic Grand Crossing Fieldhouse on Chicago's South Side — a sentimental location as he kicked off his first campaign there in 2017. Then it was off to rallies in Rockford, Peoria and Springfield. Today, Pritzker will visit Belleville and West Frankfort. On Thursday, Pritzker floated through crowds of supporters, shaking hands and posing for selfies. And he took questions from reporters. Are his health moves a signal he's preparing for higher political ambitions? Pritzker demurred: 'We want the whole state to be healthy,' he said, echoing an answer he gave recently to your Playbook host. 'It's about health.' He hedged on the other big question from reporters: Will he serve the entire four years? 'I'm running for governor of Illinois. I want to be governor of Illinois. That's four more years,' he told Chicago reporters. It's an answer that leaves open the possibility that he could still run for president in 2028. Asked the same question in Peoria, Pritzker said: 'I'm flattered that people have mentioned that. You know it's always nice to be thought of that way. Frankly, I think that's good for the state of Illinois when people think that our leaders are qualified to be president of the United States. But I am running for reelection,' via the Peoria Journal's JJ Bullock. Before he took the stage with his wife, MK Pritzker, Pritzker launched his campaign video, via POLITICO's homepage. About his speech: Though Pritzker didn't mention President Donald Trump by name, he did vow to protect Illinois from 'the megalomaniac narcissist in the White House.' More from the Sun-Times' Mitch Armentrout. The nitty gritty. Much of Pritzker's first campaign speech for the season focused on real issues. 'We must reckon with the fact that everything is too damned expensive,' he told the Chicago crowd. 'From groceries to concert tickets to mortgages to cars to health care, we have created a world where one job isn't enough to raise kids, one salary not enough to own a home and one lifetime of work not enough to earn retirement.' via the Tribune's Rick Pearson. Some irony: Pritzker told the Chicago crowd, 'I don't really care what the DC dinner circuit thinks about my unabashed defense of democracy and courage and kindness.' Those comments, however, along with his robust political calendar, media hits and penchant for attacking Trump 'have led many to speculate that he is preparing for a White House run,' writes Lee Enterprises' Brenden Moore. And Crain's Greg Hinz says it outright: Pritzker's re-election bid doubles as a soft launch for 2028 RELATED Wednesday: Gov. JB Pritzker sits down with national Democratic elections attorney Marc Elias to talk about the Trump administration, rising threats to elected officials and Pritzker's political future. Details here THE BUZZ Watch today for Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi to introduce a new bill titled Stop Trump's Abuse of Power Act, which would prevent the president from unilaterally deploying the military against peaceful protests. 'After watching President Trump send United States Marines into Los Angeles, it's clear we need to strengthen the guardrails of our democracy to hold this administration accountable,' Krishnamoorthi said in a statement shared with Playbook. The legislation comes after Trump deployed Marines and the National Guard to Los Angeles, and his administration threatened that Chicago would be 'next' as immigration officials ramp up deportation efforts across the country and people gather to protest the actions. He's not alone: Krishnamoorthi is co-lead on the measure with Congress members Haley Stevens and Salud Carbajal of Michigan and California, respectively. If you are Marc Elias, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB At the SWIC Manufacturing Training Academy in Belleville at 10:30 a.m. and at IBEW Local 702 in West Frankfort at 2 p.m. to talk about workforce development WHERE's BRANDON No official public events Where's Toni At Walgreens in Oak Lawn to mark National HIV Testing Day — At the Tinley Park Convention Center at 11 a.m. to keynote the ACHIEVE Summit focused on regional economic growth Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — In IL-08: Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison has been endorsed by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund in his bid for Congress in the 8th District. The national organization works to elect LGBTQ+ people to public office. — In IL-02: Adal Regis has been endorsed by David Axelrod, the political consultant and former adviser to President Barack Obama, according to a statement from Regis, who's a policy expert. — Ted Mason has been endorsed by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi in his campaign for Cook County Commissioner in the 15th District. 'Ted Mason is a hardworking, committed, and experienced public servant. From the time he was a staffer in my office through his tenure with Cook County, his dedication to serving the community has only strengthened,' Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. — Nick Uniejewski has been endorsed by urbanist PAC Chicago Growth Project in his campaign for state Senate in the 6th District. THE STATEWIDES — Supreme Court clears way for states to kick Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid, by POLITICO's Alice Miranda Ollstein, Josh Gerstein and Lauren Gardner — As debate about raw milk goes on, number of dairy farms producing it increasing in Illinois, by the State Journal-Register's Tom Ackerman — How Illinois ranks in gaming, by Gambling Sites CHICAGO — Lincoln Yards was supposed to transform the North Side. What went wrong? 'Developer Sterling Bay is losing the Lincoln Park site to impatient lenders. Now, Chicago's JDL Development is close to swooping in, sources tell the Sun-Times,' by the Sun-Times' Savid Roeder and Fran Spielman. — Interim Chicago Public Schools CEO pegs deficit at $730M: 'The new figure, announced Thursday by the CEO, includes a $175 million pension payment that Mayor Brandon Johnson needs to balance the city's budget and has long wanted CPS to assume,' by WBEZ's Sarah Karp. — They take a lot of heat but NYC, LA and Chicago are ranked 1, 2, 3 as best cities, via World's Best Cities — Chicago sits on a map of the world's wealthiest cities, by Visual Capitalist's Jenna Ross TAKING NAMES — Former President Barack Obama talks about the Supreme Court ruling in King v. Burwell that solidified the ACA, the ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that affirmed same-sex marriage and the eulogy for Rev. Clementa Pinckney in Charleston, via a discussion with digital creator Garrison Hayes. Watch here — Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton was honored Thursday at UCAN's annual leadership awards. She received the Civic Engagement Award for her efforts in 'advancing equity, community well-being and opportunity for youth and families,' according to the nonprofit. — Ivo Daalder is leaving Chicago Council on Global Affairs for Harvard post, by Crain's Brandon Dupré — Media matters: WVON radio will start airing DL Hughley's show weekdays from 5 to 7 a.m. starting July 7, leading into Rufus Williams' morning show that will now air 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Reader Digest We asked where you go when the heat is unbearable. Carlton Hull: 'At home watching C-SPAN.' Lissa Druss and LauraJane Hyde: To Virginia Beach to visit their friend Sharon Pannozzo. Ed Mazur: 'Dairy Queen.' Patricia Ann Watson: 'Headed to a cool hotel room after that hot day in Springfield when Barack Obama named Joe Biden his running mate. I felt myself about to pass out.' NEXT QUESTION: What's the best music to listen to outdoors? KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION — Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) and Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson have introduced the bipartisan Flood Resiliency and Land Stewardship Act, which would improve flood and drought mitigation in agricultural communities across Illinois through existing U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs. — OPINION: Congressman Darin LaHood on 'Building a 21st century rail system that drives America forward,' in the Washington Times THE NATIONAL TAKE — Mitch McConnell hopes to convert Trump to the peace-through-strength gospel of interventionism, by POLITICO's Jonathan Martin — California donors cool on Kamala Harris: 'No one is incredibly pumped,' by POLITICO's Melanie Mason and Jeremy B. White — Former Supreme Court Justice Kennedy says 'democracy is at risk,' by POLITICO's Josh Gerstein — Megabill threatens to languish as challenges pile up, by POLITICO's Jordain Carney, Lisa Kashinsky and Robert King EVENTS — July 26: Tazewell County Republicans host its Veterans Appreciation Breakfast. Details here TRIVIA THURSDAY's ANSWER: Gov. JB Pritzker made the first large contribution to jumpstart the Better Government Association's revitalization in 2009, donating $25,000 when he was a businessman, according to the group's former CEO, Andy Shaw. TODAY's QUESTION: Where exactly does Route 66 start? Email skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Today: Illinois Executive Ethics Commissioner and former state Rep. David Welter, former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter, Village of Lansing Trustee Micaela Smith, Palatine Township Assessor Bill Pohlman, The Inland Real Estate Group's Senior VP Dan Wagner, tech investor and political donor Howard Tullman, Gladiator Consulting founder Ryan Hurley, Sidley Austin attorney Daniel Epstein, Accountable Tech co-founder Jesse Lehrich, PR pro Karrie Leung, PR pro Melissa Skoog and economic development pro Sarah Habansky Saturday: Political consultant Robert Creamer, Environmental Law & Policy Center's Illinois Legislative Director David McEllis, Boeing Executive VP of Government Operations Ziad Ojakli, League of Women Voters activist Betty Magness, actor/producer John Cusack, J Street and ALLMEP board member Mark Zivin, Richelieu Foods Senior VP of Finance Eric Zwiener and Illinois Gaming Board Comms Director Beth Kaufman Sunday: State Sen. Dave Syverson, Illinois Education Association Comms Director Sarah Antonacci, former Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza, lobbyist John McCabe and crisis and litigation strategist Katie Breen -30-

Daywatch: From political neophyte to governor — and potential presidential candidate
Daywatch: From political neophyte to governor — and potential presidential candidate

Chicago Tribune

time19 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Chicago Tribune

Daywatch: From political neophyte to governor — and potential presidential candidate

Good morning, Chicago. Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker this week set out to make history, launching his bid to become the first Illinois governor since the 1980s to be elected to more than two terms in office. A win next year also would make Pritzker, 60, the first Democrat ever in Illinois to win three terms. Republican James R. Thompson was Illinois' longest-serving governor, winning election four times straight and holding the office from 1977 to 1991. A century earlier, when the Grand Old Party was a new force in politics, Republican Richard Oglesby won three nonconsecutive elections, in 1864, '72 and '84, although he resigned 10 days after being sworn in for his second term to join the U.S. Senate. Two other Republicans, Dwight Green in 1948 and William Stratton in 1960, made unsuccessful third-term attempts, losing to Democrats Adlai Stevenson II and Otto Kerner, respectively. Pritzker is not expected to have significant competition for the Democratic primary in March and it remains to be seen whether any high-profile Republicans will mount a campaign to challenge him in November 2026. He's also publicly flirted with the idea of running for president in 2028. So as Pritzker embarks on another campaign, here's a look back at how the Hyatt Hotels heir went from political neophyte to 43rd governor of Illinois and potential Democratic presidential contender. And here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including why transportation workers needed to lay new pavement along the NASCAR Chicago Street Race course, the latest dispatch from our reporting pair traveling Route 66 and what to do in Chicago this weekend. Today's eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History The Senate parliamentarian has advised that a Medicaid provider tax overhaul central to President Donald Trump's tax cut and spending bill does not adhere to the chamber's procedural rules, delivering a crucial blow as Republicans rush to finish the package this week. After Juan Luna graduated from Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School in early June, he stood in the lobby and cried. Juan came to Chicago alone from Mexico for his senior year, and the end of school meant the end of the community that had acted as his family. He decided to move in with his godfather, who lives in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, to finish high school and pursue a college degree in architecture. But since arriving in the United States, Juan has become disillusioned with the opportunities that are actually available to him. He's watched as President Donald Trump has threatened programs that could have helped him. Newly-appointed interim schools chief Macquline King addressed her first Chicago Board of Education meeting yesterday, affirming that the passage of the district's budget for the upcoming school year remains her top priority. Chicago Public Schools faces a $730 million shortfall for fiscal year 2026, King told board members — $201 million more than the district had previously stated. Though the budget is typically released in June, district officials have yet to finalize a spending plan — or say how they plan to address the deficit. Weeks after President Donald Trump commuted the federal life sentence of Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover, a letter arrived at the offices of Gov. JB Pritzker that purported to be Hoover's final push for freedom: asking for clemency in his state murder case. At first glance, the petition might seem to be a legitimate plea from Hoover himself, using similar language about atonement and redemption that the imprisoned gang leader has used in numerous previous requests for parole and clemency from the courts. But a closer inspection revealed some telltale signs that the document, first obtained by the Tribune through a public records request, is likely a fake. Two of the Chicago region's largest independent real estate firms announced yesterday that they will merge operations, forming what company leaders say will be the second largest brokerage in Chicagoland, based on 2024 sales volume. The NASCAR Chicago Street Race is still more than a week away, but Mother Nature is already burning up the track. The heat dome that descended on Chicago last weekend with unrelenting temperatures caused buckling pavement on a stretch of the pop-up race course, forcing the city to close some streets ahead of schedule to repair the damage. The Bulls made a swap Thursday morning with the Los Angeles Lakers, trading the No. 45 pick for the 55th pick and cash considerations. A native of Adelaide, Lachlan Olbrich started his professional career in the Australian National Basketball League in 2021 at age 17. He came to the U.S. and played one year of college basketball at UC Riverside, where he was named Big West Freshman of the Year after averaging 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras told St. Louis reporters he knows Chicago Cubs closer Daniel Palencia wasn't trying to throw a fastball at his face, but it wasn't long ago he broke a finger when hit by a pitch that ended his 2024 season. You're a kid. You catch a few seconds of something strange on TV. Those few seconds have a way, sometimes, of paying a call decades later, writes Tribune film critic Michael Phillips. It happened to author, critic and film curator Michael Koresky. His absorbing new book is 'Sick and Dirty: Hollywood's Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness,' and just as he was writing its final chapter, he dredged up a fuzzy memory of seeing something on his grandmother Bertha's TV set when he was around 10. Our picks for events in and around Chicago this weekend, including Hot Wheels Monster Trucks, Volleyball Nations League and Jeff Goldblum in concert. There was no warning siren, only the sudden sound of what seemed at first like a locomotive speeding through her neighborhood a mile off Route 66. Lea Davis heard trees snapping. Glass shattering. The front door to her 122-year-old two-flat slammed open and shut. Open and shut. She thought to grab her partner, Reginald, who is blind, and run to the basement, but figured they might not make it in time. They could take shelter in the closet, she thought, or the bathtub. 'You didn't have much time to think,' Davis, 55 remembered of that May 16 afternoon. 'The only thing I could say was: Jesus, please save us. Please help us.' Read the series:

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