SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — JB Pritzker finds himself at a pivotal moment in his political career.
The Illinois governor, enjoying considerable popularity after two terms, appears to be the clear frontrunner should he choose to seek reelection in 2026.
However, the dynamic progressive Democrat is also diligently enhancing his profile on the national stage, making prominent appearances nationwide, leveraging his substantial personal fortune to support Democratic initiatives, and vocally criticizing the divisive policies of former President Donald Trump.
Pritzker has clear ideas on how Democrats can recover from their recent electoral setbacks. “Democrats shouldn’t fall into the trap that they fell into in 2024 of responding to everything that the Republicans say, given the way they twist things,” he remarked during a recent interview in his office. “Republicans keep asking the question, ‘Have you stopped beating your wife?’ There is no good answer to that.”
Yet, he emphasizes that Democrats must also staunchly defend their core values. He believes it was a “mistake” that Kamala Harris’ campaign lacked a strong response to Trump’s attacks on her support for transgender rights.
When asked how he would have approached the situation, Pritzker stated, “First of all, stop picking on the smallest minority of people whose civil rights are just as important as yours. … Trans children are among the most vulnerable to suicide. Why do Republicans have no sympathy for that at all?”
In navigating his political ambitions, Pritzker is attempting a delicate balancing act, advocating for both state and national interests. This involves passionately addressing contentious issues like immigration and tariffs, while simultaneously supporting local constituencies, including Illinois farmers and veterans.
His unabashed criticism of Trump is gaining traction among national Democratic figures. David Hogg, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, suggests that more party leaders should adopt Pritzker’s confrontational style. “We’re in a moment … where some people are saying, ‘We need to roll over and die’ and other people want to fight,” he observed. “JB wants to fight.”
Outspoken on immigration
According to Anne Caprara, who led Pritzker’s successful 2018 campaign and now serves as his chief of staff, the governor’s team had anticipated a November setback, despite hopes for a Harris victory. “JB is just a person who hopes for the best and prepares for the worst,” she remarked.
In his immediate post-election commentary, Pritzker issued a warning to Trump while reassuring Illinois Democrats that he would defend abortion rights, immigration policies, and LGBTQ+ protections against potential attacks. “You come for my people, you come through me,” he asserted just two days after the election.
Pritzker has been particularly vocal in his condemnation of Trump’s immigration policies, standing in stark contrast to many ambitious Democrats who have sought to demonstrate support for stricter enforcement in light of recent electoral losses. “Why is Donald Trump kicking out law-abiding, tax-paying people who have been here 10 and 20 years and raised a family here?” Pritzker questioned. “Why are they picking on those people and kicking them out? If you had proper immigration laws, you would want them to come to this country. We need them to fill jobs.”
While he has reiterated his support for expelling criminals, Pritzker’s immigration stance has attracted the attention of Republican Rep. James Comer’s Oversight Committee, which has summoned him to testify next month regarding Illinois’ sanctuary status rules that prevent local authorities from aiding federal immigration enforcement. “Sanctuary jurisdictions and their obstructionist policies hinder the ability of federal law enforcement officers to effectuate safe arrests and remove dangerous criminals from American communities,” Comer stated in announcing the hearing.
Pritzker has yet to indicate whether he will comply with the committee’s request, labeling it a “partisan dog and pony show.”
While voicing his concerns about Trump’s policies, Pritzker sat beneath a massive portrait depicting one of the famed Lincoln-Douglas debates.
Pritzker’s critiques of Trump, while pointed, have not reached the lofty rhetorical heights one might expect. He has labeled the former president “a narcissist,” “rich in stupidity,” and “someone who behaves like a fifth-grader.” He has even drawn parallels between Trump and Hitler regarding the administration’s policies.
Caprara noted that Pritzker’s public communication style has evolved significantly, particularly shaped by his experience during the pandemic when he conducted over 85 televised press conferences on COVID-19 safety protocols. “What we learned was that in times of really great uncertainty, people value clear communication from their leaders,” Caprara explained. “And they value communication that is not mealy-mouthed or wishy-washy or obfuscating what actually is happening in the world. And so that is the world in which we’ve operated since November.”
Pritzker is now taking this approach to a broader audience. Since March, he has headlined events like the Jim Owles Winter Pride Gala in New York City and the Human Rights Campaign’s annual dinner in Los Angeles. He has also taken the spotlight at Democratic events in Florida and Texas.
Next week, he will be the featured speaker at the New Hampshire Democrats’ iconic McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club dinner, a major fundraiser known for attracting big names ahead of presidential elections. In June, he is set to headline the Michigan Democratic Party Legacy Dinner.
Moreover, Pritzker’s Think Big America initiative has invested in progressive legislation and candidates nationwide, including in traditionally Republican states. The nonprofit has supported abortion rights initiatives in nine states, with seven passing in recent cycles, including in Ohio and Montana.
“Abortion rights are broadly popular, and there are plenty of Republicans and independents who came out to vote for that issue and came to our side,” noted Mike Ollen, who leads the organization and previously managed Pritzker’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign.
Pritzker, whose family built the Hyatt Hotel empire, has also contributed millions to races across the country, including $1.5 million to support the Democratic-aligned candidate who won in last month’s high-profile Wisconsin Supreme Court race.
This growing national visibility has ruffled feathers among Illinois Republicans, who accuse him of political “grandstanding” and distracting from “the mess” in Illinois, as characterized by state party Chair Kathy Salvi, who pointed to the state’s projected $3 billion budget deficit. She has used Pritzker’s public appearances as a rallying point in her weekly communications. “Pritzker’s largesse at the taxpayer’s trough drives the good people, families and businesses out of our beloved Illinois,” Salvi asserted in a statement to POLITICO. “He is crushing us. Save America from JB Pritzker.”
Pritzker asserts that his national engagements should not be misconstrued as a prelude to a presidential bid. He insists that his media appearances attacking Trump are primarily aimed at drawing attention to the adverse effects of Trump’s tariffs and federal cutbacks on his constituents. “The more that I can help stoke that, the better it is for farmers here in Illinois,” he declared.
Touting Illinois accomplishments
Pritzker and his team frequently remind critics of the economic turmoil he inherited upon taking office. A nearly two-year budget standoff between his predecessor and the legislature had sent bond ratings spiraling towards junk status.
Running on an ambitious platform, Pritzker achieved much during his first term, including raising the minimum wage, advancing reproductive rights, legalizing cannabis, and restoring fiscal stability to the state.
In his office, across from the Lincoln portrait, hangs a sign that Pritzker often highlights to visitors. It bears the headline: “Illinois credit rating upgraded: Moody’s upgrade is state’s first in two decades.”
Yet, he rarely speaks publicly without taking a jab at the White House. Last week in Springfield, Pritzker criticized Trump’s economic policies even while addressing a gathering of high school members from the Future Farmers of America.
“The harsh cuts to USDA programs proposed by DOGE and the tariffs that the president put in place are already taking their toll on our rural communities,” Pritzker stated.
He then took questions from the statehouse press corps and joined several Republican lawmakers to announce the winner of the “Coolest Thing Made in Illinois,” which was awarded to the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump that was utilized in the recent Los Angeles wildfires. Later that evening, Pritzker hosted state lawmakers and rabbis for a Passover Seder.
The animosity between Pritzker and Trump dates back to the 1990s when the Pritzker family was embroiled in legal battles with Trump over New York hotel properties. This feud intensified during the 2016 election and further escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Illinois hospitals struggled under the weight of the crisis, Pritzker, swallowing his pride, reached out to Trump for assistance in securing N95 masks and ventilators. He recounts that Trump’s only condition was that Pritzker publicly praised him on national talk shows. Though desperate, Pritzker complied, but when the supplies arrived, they were inadequate — loose-fitting masks and faulty BiPAP machines. “He never delivered for us,” Pritzker lamented. “He never delivered for the American people.”
