Gov. JB Pritzker is aiming for his third term amid a presidential buzz
Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to announce this week he’s running for reelection, according to Democratic officials.
It would be the Chicago Democrat’s third term, if he’s victorious in 2026, but questions swirl about whether he’ll enter the race for president in the 2028 election.
Pritzker has been rumored for months to be interested in the White House and has been raising his profile nationally with a number of appearances across the country.
“The work that I do now as governor is work I love doing,” Pritzker said just after the Nov. 5, 2024, election won by President Donald Trump.
“In the wake of Tuesday’s election, I think back to my first days in office and the first two years when Donald Trump was president and we had to defend Illinois against a lot of policies Trump was imposing.
“I think that work is going to continue. I have no plans for anything else.”
Pritzker is expected to make the announcement Thursday.
Another open question is who will be Pritzker’s running mate. Current Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is running in the 2026 Democratic primary for outgoing U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat.
Pritzker, a billionaire whose family founded Hyatt hotels, took office in 2019, and logged key legislative victories including the massive Rebuild Illinois capital plan. A strong progressive, Pritzker worked to make Illinois a refuge for women seeking abortions when Roe v. Wade fell three years ago, and has championed criminal justice reforms and labor rights.
He steered the state through the COVID-19 crisis, picking up fights with Trump along the way and taking criticism from state Republicans who said he overreached his authority. But in 2022, he won an easy victory over conservative former state Sen. Darren Bailey.
“From a political perspective he becomes a stronger candidate for president in 2028 as a sitting governor,” said former Democratic state Sen. Bill Morris of Grayslake.
Another Chicagoan mentioned as a potential presidential candidate is former Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
“I think there is only enough room for one candidate from Illinois, so Pritzker and Rahm will eventually need to come to an accommodation or both will suffer,” added Morris.
The Democratic presidential field is expected to be crowded with party stars that could include former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmore, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to name a few.
In the 2026 gubernatorial contest, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick and former congressional hopeful Joseph Severino of Lake Forest are among the Republican candidates seeking to challenge Pritzker.