Sources Say Gov. Pritzker Ready To Declare Run For 3rd Gubernatorial Term: Reports

ILLINOIS — Sources close to Gov. JB Pritzker are saying that he plans to announce his run for a third term later this week, according to multiple news reports.

The democratic governor is expected to announce his intentions on Thursday, and invitations have already reportedly been sent out.

Pritzker, 60, was first elected in 2018, handily beating Bruce Rauner, a Republican, by double digits after serving just one term. He went on to beat downstate Republican challenger Darren Bailey to secure a second term in 2022.

The richest governor in state history, Pritzker has overseen passage progressive measures as eliminating cash bond, legalizing recreational marijuana, codifying abortion rights and a $50 billion infrastructure package – much to the consternation of conservative voters. He also led the state’s response to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Pritzker’s name has come up as a possible presidential candidate in 2028. He has been sounding more presidential in his harsh denouncements of President Donald Trump, comparing Trump’s rhetoric to Hitler’s rise to power.

In April, Pritzker was the headline speaker at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s McIntyre-Shaheen 100-Club Dinner, typically considered the first step to the New Hampshire presidential primary.

Earlier this month, Pritzker appeared with two other Democratic governors before the House Oversight Committee to address Illinois’ sanctuary laws. Pritzker eviscerated House leaders, calling the hearing, “a waste of time.”

Pritzker has called for mass protests and mass mobilization in opposition to the Trump Administration, which Pritzker has compared to Hitler’s Nazi regime.

The governor's net worth is estimated at $3.7 billion. Earlier this month, he told TV talk show host Jimmy Kimmel that he hadn't made up his mind yet to run for governor, let alone president.

If Pritzker does decide to make a run for president in 2028, it could come in the middle of a possible third gubernatorial term. Illinois is one of 13 states that does not set term limits for governors.

He and Kimmel also pre-emptively came up with mean nicknames centered around Pritzker's girth that Trump could call him, including “JB Back Ribs,” and Pritzker's favorite "JBeefy."

“[Trump] loves to make fun of people in any way you can,” Pritzker said. “Frankly, that’s how you know he’s afraid of you.”