JB Pritzker is running for a third term as governor of Illinois, and he is doing it with one eye on the presidency. The billionaire Democrat has stood up to Donald Trump at every turn, and now he is positioning himself as the candidate who can beat the president in November.
Trump returned to power 20 long months ago. Pritzker became the Democratic governor of Illinois during Trump’s first term, and he has never let up on the fight since.
Four Crises Define His Tenure
Pritzker’s governorship has been defined by four major crises, according to his own account:
- A fiscal mess left behind by his predecessor
- The pandemic
- Abbott’s migrant transfers to Chicago
- Trump’s return to power
He raised the state minimum wage and codified reproductive rights. Illinois received credit rating upgrades under Pritzker, who likens fixing the state’s finances to turning an aircraft carrier 180 degrees.
Critics note that Illinois still holds one of the lowest credit ratings in the country.
Pritzker has not spoken to Trump since the Covid pandemic, according to his campaign. He founded the Illinois Holocaust Museum and has spent time with survivors.
Standing Up to Trump
Pritzker has been a vocal critic of Trump since day one. Two days after Trump’s re-election, Pritzker warned the president would need to “come through me” to reach Illinois citizens. Within 30 days of the inauguration, he compared Trump’s administration to Nazi Germany.
In his February 2025 State of the State address, Pritzker said: “when the five-alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water.”
He describes other state leaders resisting Trump as being “on each of your digits.” That includes California governor Gavin Newsom, who launched a legislative push to curb immigration enforcement, and Maine governor Janet Mills, who told Trump she would see him in court over his bid to cut state funding over transgender athletes.
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has sought a productive working relationship with Trump. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer faced criticism over a bipartisan deal to end the longest-ever US government shutdown.
Pritzker says the number of elected leaders speaking out against Trump is “finally” growing. He calls Trump “a wannabe authoritarian” and says “you cannot give an authoritarian an inch.”
Running for President
Illinois is one of 36 states holding gubernatorial elections in November. Pritzker is widely expected to become Illinois’ first three-term governor in over three decades.
His Republican opponent, state senator Darren Bailey, finished 12 points behind last time. Pritzker launched a $20m political action committee to support Democratic campaigns nationwide.
He flew to Texas to counter-program the Republican convention. He will soon visit South Carolina to address the NAACP state conference.
The weight-loss story has followed him everywhere. CBS News, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal all ran headlines about Pritzker using a GLP-1 weight-loss drug to drop 80 pounds while eyeing a 2028 presidential bid.
When asked about the story, Pritzker replied: “I’m not sure the connection.” He added: “National political reporters can’t help yourselves” and “I’m not sure the question. You’re asking … what are you asking me?”
| Governor | Action Against Trump |
|---|---|
| Gavin Newsom | Legislative push to curb immigration enforcement |
| Janet Mills | Told Trump she would see him in court over funding cuts |
| Zohran Mamdani | Seeks productive working relationship |
| Chuck Schumer | Criticized over bipartisan shutdown deal |
Pritzker’s fight with Trump is the whole story. He has positioned himself as the candidate who can stand up to the president while delivering on the economy.
The question is whether Illinoisans will reward that consistency or punish it. The governor’s record on the budget and credit ratings shows mixed results, and his refusal to engage with Trump directly could be seen as weakness.
But Pritzker has built a network of governors, mayors and lawmakers who share his resistance. That gives him a base beyond Illinois.
Pritzker has to win Illinois first. Only then can he move on to the next stage of his career.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs neither side and backs no candidate, judging issues against individual freedom, small business, and no concentrations of power, not a horse race between two machines gathering power. Pritzker’s fight with Trump is the whole story, but it is a fight between two machines, and the paper does not take sides.
Pritzker’s record shows mixed results on the budget and credit ratings, and his refusal to engage with Trump directly could be seen as weakness. But he has built a network of governors, mayors and lawmakers who share his resistance, giving him a base beyond Illinois.
The reader should watch for how the fight plays out in November, and whether Pritzker can deliver on the economy while keeping his footing against a president who has made Illinois a central front in his broader war.
Source material: “A billionaire is one of Trump’s loudest critics. Will Democrats send him to the White House?,” The Guardian.
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