* Subscribers got the news first yesterday. Politico…
Gov. JB Pritzker has sent out invitations for a Thursday morning event. The invite is short on details, so recipients are guessing it’s a campaign kick-off to run for a third term. The governor’s campaign didn’t immediately return a request for comment. There’s no limit to the number of terms an Illinois governor can serve. Gov. Richard Oglesby served during three non-consecutive terms, and Gov. Jim Thompson was elected to four.
* NBC Chicago…
Sources told NBC Chicago political reporter Mary Ann Ahern the governor is slated to make his announcement Thursday.
The decision isn’t unexpected as experts and those close to the governor have indicated another run was likely. […]
There has been much speculation recently on whether Pritzker could run for president, though that campaign would not come until after the 2026 state election. […]
In an appearance last month on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” show, Pritzker said his decision for Illinois would come before his decision on a potential presidential run.
* Fox 32 Political Correspondent Paris Schutz…
Thoughts?
* More…
- Save Ferris - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 10:47 am:
Gonna make Rahm really mad.
- TJ - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 10:49 am:
He’s certainly got my vote, and not just because I heavily doubt that the ILGOP will nominate anyone even remotely palatable to me. Pritzker’s been a darn good governor, easily the best this state has had in my living memory as a forty year-old.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 10:53 am:
Can’t imagine what wingnut the ILGOP toss out there.
Over/under 12 points for Pritzker?
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 10:58 am:
- Gonna make Rahm really mad. -
Good. Hopefully he runs for president, gets absolutely smoked in the primary, and goes back to private equity.
- Boone Logan Square - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:04 am:
It will be interesting to see when he announces a running mate. Who are the likely possibilities?
- Moe Berg - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:05 am:
Good. JB is a steady hand on the tiller and has done good work captaining the state through various storms. In these tempestuous times, we need his stability and unflappable demeanor.
- Sue - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:08 am:
Given Julia Stratton is polling third in a three way race- maybe he will surprise everyone and ask Stratton to stick around as LG
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:08 am:
Good for 2 reasons. First, upsets Rahm.
Second, far & away best Governor in my Springfield time (going back to Reagan Presidency). As good, if not better, than Thompson & Edgar at their best WITHOUT pension “tomfoolery” … .
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:11 am:
Why not run again? He’s been better than most at the job. And he triggers the ILGOP in a way that assures their continued irrelevance.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:17 am:
What Moe Berg said +1
JB has been a very good governor.
- But who? - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:28 am:
Running mates? Shia had a column with some names that will never happen. So if not Andy, Christian, Jehan or Anna, who should he pick?
- Friendly Bob Adams - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:31 am:
I think Pritzker has done a very good job as governor and hope he sticks around.
- CA-HOON - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:34 am:
Nomadic Warriors For Pritzker already made its endorsement.
That, of course, means I am on board for the Great Khan to crush his enemies, see them driven before him, and hear the lamentations of their women…but in a “happy warrior” kind of way!
- Rudy’s teeth - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:36 am:
Pritzker has been a steady hand to guide Illinois. Residents in Illinois and the Midwest benefit from his leadership and guidance. If JB chooses to run, wonder who will be his opponent on the GOP slate.
- Scoot - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:50 am:
I support JB for the three peat.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:57 am:
He certainly is the best governor we have had in this century. I cannot think of anyone else I would vote for. Figure he will do a full term then become an ambassador some where. Good for him
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:58 am:
Moe Berg said +2
- CornAl DoGooder - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 11:58 am:
Exciting to see JB go for 3. Can imagine the LG slot being a little more attractive than normal in the hope that you can slide up to being Gov in 2029. My one worry is that it seems a presidential campaign is likely, so I wonder if he may get attacked for running for a job he will be absent from more than normal
- Tired Teacher - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:00 pm:
JB has been most effective gov since I moved to Illinois in 1984. I certainly hope he gets a third term.
- Lurker - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:03 pm:
I’m just excited to see the first Democrat make it through two full terms. /s
- Capcitynewt - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:04 pm:
Pritzker’s been a darn good governor, easily the best this state has had in my living memory as a forty year-old.
Even with the litany of tax and fee increases and the continued irresponsible spending and fiscal mismanagement? Not to mention his crippling COVID executive actions.
- Old IL Dude - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:14 pm:
Fifty bucks says Paul Vallas is the GOP nominee.
- Frumpy White Guy - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:16 pm:
Good for him.
- Garfield Ridge Guy - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:23 pm:
==Can’t imagine what wingnut the ILGOP toss out there.==
Pritzker spent tens of millions of dollars to help ensure that more moderate ILGOP candidates lost in the primary, so I imagine that, once Pritzker again does that, the ILGOP candidate will be quite radical. (Not that a moderate candidate would beat Pritzker anyway.)
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:26 pm:
@Fifty Bucks: while I would love for Paul to seek the Republican nomination (see what happened to Bob Fioretti?) do you really think he could win a primary? If Jeanne Ives has any value to the state, it’ll be stopping that from happening.
- Paul Powell - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:28 pm:
Zero chance the “best Illinois Governor in 100 years” would poll as the 30th most popular Governor in America
Jim Thompson served 4 terms and won 65 percent of the vote in
1976, 60 percent in 1978
JB Pritzker only won with 55% in 2022 and 2018
https://www.multistate.us/insider/2025/4/22/heres-what-america-thinks-of-its-governors
- Pekin - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:30 pm:
@Paul Powell confusing popularity with effectiveness. Two different things.
- We’ll see - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:38 pm:
In a political vacuum, It’s good he’s running for a third term because he’s been a very good governor. But he is also likely to run for president — and it is hard to do both those things well at the same time. Ultimately, if serving a third term while he runs makes him a less effective presidential candidate, that’s just bad for him. But if being a presidential candidate makes him a less effective governor, that’s bad for all of us.
- Alton Sinkhole - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:41 pm:
==Fifty bucks says Paul Vallas is the GOP nominee.==
I’ll take that bet
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 12:58 pm:
I think JB will have the gig as long as he wants it.
- Old IL Dude - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:04 pm:
Re: $50 and Paul Vallas: Who else would go on this task with the odds stacked against him/her in a blue wave year AND the US Senate seat also in play? Jeanne Ives may run for Guv, provided that her funding is 100% paid for by people like Griffin and Uihlein… other than her, who else in IL is going to want to play David to JB’s Goliath?
- Marc Avelar - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:06 pm:
=== It will be interesting to see when he announces a running mate. Who are the likely possibilities? ===
State Senator Cristina Castro of Elgin. She passed on the open 8th Congressional District seat when all expected her to be the frontrunner to win next year. Being Governor Pritzker’s running mate would be a reason for Castro to take a pass on Congress.
Plus, she was instrumental in the Democratic Party of Illinois chair election in 2022 voting for State Rep Lisa Hernandez who was Pritzker’s person in the DPI chair race.
- Paul Powell - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:08 pm:
So JB is also less popular than Jim Edgar who won 64% of the vote running for reelection in 1994 but somehow a more effective Governor?
Don’t you believe voters?
How do you define effectiveness?
Governing the state effectively or passing his agenda that has succeeded in growing government spending and Democratic power in Illinois while alienating 45% of the state?
Has that increased government spending worked to lower violent crime, increase economic growth and business expansion, spur population growth, raise wages and lower costs for residents or lower unemployment relative to other states?
Illinois ranks 27th in public health and according to US News is tbe 36th best state overall
He has been effective at growing the influence of the Democratic party in Illinois through breaking his fair map promise and his millions in campaign spending.
His record governing the state is far less impressive
- Rahm Emanual Sock Puppet - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:09 pm:
Me and Axelrod are happy about this.
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:14 pm:
=I wonder if he may get attacked for running for a job he will be absent from more than normal=
So? His likely voters and base want him to be Governor for as long as possible, and many would also like to see him be President.
His voters won’t care and shouldn’t.
- Curb Your Enthusiasm - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:17 pm:
Pritzker may be governor as long as he wants the job, but I cannot agree with all of the praise being lavished upon him. Illinois has not recovered from the severe pandemic restrictions that Pritzker insisted upon and many businesses closed their doors permanently. Only California has higher gasoline taxes than Illinois.
- Eire17 - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:22 pm:
The GOP has no one who can beat JB. He wins. I still think Andy Manar in the Lt Gov spot.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:23 pm:
===Don’t you believe voters?===
There is a class of people who basically live only on election day.
- Loop Lady - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:34 pm:
Rahm will never live down hiding the Laquan McDonald video with Chicago voters, rightfully so.
Rahm is much better as behind the scenes pol operator than an elected official. Just doesn’t have the temperament to suffer fools gladly.
JB has my support for another term…I love how much grief he gives the Donald, and the fact that a far as money is concerned he is incorruptible.
He is a mensch who hasn’t lost touch with the people and their concerns.
.
I’d like to see him pick a Latino for LG..
- Leap Day William - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 1:47 pm:
== Only California has higher gasoline taxes than Illinois. ==
I just drove from Champaign to Columbus, OH and back over the weekend. I’ll gladly take higher gas taxes for the real work being done on our roads vs. whatever is going on in Indiana and Ohio.
- Shytown - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 2:00 pm:
Geez what’s up with all the covid comments? He handled that better than most of his peers. Our state is unarguably better off with him at the helm than any before him. End of story.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 2:03 pm:
=So JB is also less popular than Jim Edgar who won 64% of the vote running for reelection in 1994 but somehow a more effective Governor?=
They governed in completely different eras and political environments. It’s like comparing LeBron James to Magic Johnson.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 2:04 pm:
=while alienating 45% of the state?=
That 45% of the voters supported Darren Bailey is an indictment on them and not Pritzker.
- Phineas - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 2:17 pm:
I suggest Amy Rule for Lt. gov.
- Paul Powell - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 2:19 pm:
Just admit he’s not the most effective Illinois Governor in 100 years then
Maybe acknowledge the many areas that he and the state can improve on
Bringing down the divisiveness with how he characterizes 45% of the state would be a great start
Articulating the daylight between the Mayor of Chicago’s many failures and his vision would be another step in the right direction
Unfortunately if he runs for President the divisiveness with Republicans will only increase and that is definitely bad for our state
Good luck getting cooperation from the current administration for Federal funds and attracting and retaining businesses
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 2:26 pm:
===Good luck getting cooperation from the current administration for Federal funds and attracting and retaining businesses ===
Do you realize what you just wrote?
- Jerry - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 2:49 pm:
If by “conservative” you limited guv’mint then JB is your man! If you want gubbamint regulating your life then he isn’t.
- Jerry - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 3:00 pm:
For the folks complaining about Covid. What did you want him to do? He made the best decision he could with the information he had available to him at the time.
- Paul Powell - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 3:14 pm:
Like most progressives he was held captive by the teachers union
The kids in school suffered tremendously
- Loop Lady - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 3:48 pm:
Paul Powell: Sour grapes much?
The Mayor of Chicago bears the brunt of the criticism and poor crisis management of the largest ipublic school system in IL.
Could it be that the GOP in IL is highly ineffective and out of touch with the voters in this State?
Their game plan is to whine about Dem control, nothing else.
Not a strategy for relevance.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 3:49 pm:
=The kids in school suffered tremendously=
No they didn’t. They didn’t suffer, not even tremendously. We were back in school, fully after one semester. Hybrid for one semester.
That was our decision. Unlike the gop nanny states, we were able to make our own decisions. Our student achievement scores have improved above pre-covid numbers.
=Like most progressives he was held captive by the teachers union=
Do you only regurgitate far right hyperbole? Do you have an actual original thought. Pritzker IS a progressive and supported by unions. That support has not hurst us from a school management perspective. At all.
=Just admit=
Just admit that you are hyper partisan and only speak in party bullet points. You won’t because you are not that self aware though.
Speaking for myself only as a center right independent.
- low level - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 4:03 pm:
JB4L JB for Life. Best governor ever.
- Walker - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 4:17 pm:
Castro is strong
- Southern Dude - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 4:48 pm:
=== Just admit that you are hyper partisan and only speak in party bullet points===
I don’t disagree with you,but be sure to point out when the Democrats only speak in party bullet points on this blog - which is often since they don’t get their comments deleted.
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 5:02 pm:
- which is often since they don’t get their comments deleted. -
Another snowflake heard from. I get moderated all the time, I but don’t cry about it.
- Southern Dude - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 5:12 pm:
=== I get moderated all the time, I but don’t cry about it.===
You constantly cry on this blog, and sling insults when someone types something you don’t like. Just keep hiding behind your keyboard. That is what you snowflakes do best
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 5:37 pm:
===Just keep hiding behind your keyboard===
lol
Says “Southern Dude”
- JB13 - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 5:51 pm:
I have no doubt JB Pritzker will be able to serve as Illinois’ governor for as long as he likes.
But please keep a few things in mind. The man has never once faced even a modicum of real political opposition, as he’s governed with Democratic supermajorities from Day One. All he needs do is say what Democrats think and never must even consider anyone who disagrees. (And then feed the masses red meat with some clever one-liner punch-downs at opponents rendered irrelevant, thanks to Madigan/Welch and Harmon.)
From a Democratic perspective, his in-state popularity is certainly bolstered by his personal wealth, which lets the party avoid spending even a dime in the gubernatorial race.
And COVID money and federal aid under Biden allowed him to claim the mantle of master money manager, despite his gaslighting denials otherwise.
On a national level, he is far more problematic and less relevant than his fanboys seem to think, thanks to a very different view of the state of the state in the world beyond.
And, speaking of the national level, the Greatest Governor in HistoryTM has a couple key appointments with the U.S. Supreme Court in the future, which will heavily define his legacy and most likely will not go well for him. As you may recall, he (or Kwame) had the sense to back off the COVID restrictions before SCOTUS could intervene and instead allowed Newsom and Cuomo to get slapped around by Gorsuch & Co. The current cases making their way there won’t allow for such avoidance.
And through it all the Trump administration isn’t going to make life easy for him for at least the next three years.
So, throw the laurels while you can, I suppose. Best of luck to all.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 5:59 pm:
= I don’t disagree with you,but be sure to point out when the Democrats only speak in party bullet points on this blog =
Let me know when you call out somebody on the right. Lead the way, you and @ Paul Powell.
As for me, I will do exactly what I want and Rich allows.
- CA-HOON - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 6:37 pm:
Paul Powell wrote: “Has that increased government spending worked to lower violent crime, increase economic growth and business expansion, spur population growth, raise wages and lower costs for residents or lower unemployment relative to other states?”
Yes.
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 6:40 pm:
- Says “Southern Dude” -
C’mon we all have a friend named Southern Dude.
- Paul Powell - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 9:03 pm:
There was not just one semester of hybrid learning for students in K-12 in the State of Illinois
Chicago Public Schools didn’t fully reopen until August of 2021, over 500 days after they were closed for in person learning
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 9:37 pm:
“whatever is going on in Indiana and Ohio.”
Adding I-44 in Missouri and I-35 in Metro Oklahoma City to your list …
- Jibba - Tuesday, Jun 24, 25 @ 9:41 pm:
I nominate Mary Miller to run against JB. Make it a twofer…Mary gets to discover the popularity of her convictions and JB gets to enjoy it.