Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announces re-election campaign with statewide tour
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker expected to announce bid for 3rd term, sources say
Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to announce his bid for a third term as governor of Illinois this week. Sources told Fox 32 that invitations were sent out for an event on Thursday, where he is expected to announce his third campaign for the governorship.
CHICAGO - Gov. JB Pritzker announced the launch of his re-election campaign for a third term as governor of Illinois with a statewide tour.
Pritzker will be visiting Rockford, Peoria, and Springfield on Thursday. He will also go to Belleville and West Frankfort on Friday.
Pritzker's record as governor
What we know:
While speculation has grown about Pritzker’s plans for another run next year, his name has been thrown around as a potential presidential candidate in 2028.
Running for re-election as governor could make for awkward timing if he tries to run for the presidency halfway through a third term.
Pritzker, 60, was first elected in 2018, defeating one-term incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican. During his first term, he oversaw the passage of several progressive measures, from recreational marijuana legalization, codifying abortion rights, and a $50 billion infrastructure package. He also led the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other pieces of legislation have been controversial, especially among more conservative voters. The state did away with cash bail, which was criticized by some who argued the change would lead to more crime, even though that fear has not been borne out, according to the data. The governor also pushed for a change in the state's personal income tax code to allow for a graduated rate system, but voters rejected the proposal in 2020.
The governor went on to easily win re-election in 2022 over former downstate Republican State Sen. Darren Bailey.
The State of Illinois has no term limits for governor, one of only 13 states without a limit.
The last Illinois governor to run for a third term was Republican Jim Thompson, who was the state's longest-serving executive from 1977 to 1991. He was elected to four consecutive terms.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 12: (L-R) Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Skye L. Perryman are sworn in before the start of a hearing with the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at the U.S. Capitol on
Rising national profile
Big picture view:
Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune who is worth about $3.7 billion according to Forbes, has also been making more of a name for himself on the national stage in recent months.
He's earned headlines for calling out "do nothing Democrats" during a speech in New Hampshire, a key primary election state, and going on late night talk shows.
Earlier this month, he appeared with two other Democratic governors in front of the U.S. House Oversight Committee to field questions about Illinois' sanctuary city laws originally passed under his predecessor. He excoriated House Republicans after the hearing for accomplishing "nothing" after hours of partisan back-and-forth jabs.
Pritzker has also been a frequent and vocal critic of President Donald Trump.
Most recently, Pritzker compared the Trump administration to the Nazi regime during his budget address in February. He also called out Trump's accelerating of immigration enforcement around the state, including Chicago.
Trump has at times returned fire. Earlier this month, when fielding questions about his immigration policies, Trump called Pritzker "probably the worst in the country."
Another campaign for governor also means that Pritzker will likely have to select a new running mate because his current lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton, is running for an open U.S. Senate seat.