Pritzker announces reelection bid for third term

Gov. JB Pritzker will run for a third term as governor. He’s officially making the reelection announcement Thursday in a four-stop tour that spans Chicago, Rockford, Peoria and Springfield.

Should Pritzker win and serve a full term, he would become the only three-term Democratic governor in Illinois’ history.

“I’m running for reelection to protect our progress and continue solving the problems we face,” he said in an announcement video. “I love this state, and it’s the honor of my life to serve as your governor – to help lead through the most challenging of times and celebrate the most joyful ones together. I’m ready for the fight ahead.”

Pritzker has not yet announced a running mate to replace Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who is running for U.S. Senate in 2026.

The state GOP issued a statement saying Pritzker should be “fired not re-hired.”

“He’s prioritized illegal immigrants over Illinois families, hiked taxes, and rammed through the largest, most bloated budget in state history,” ILGOP Chairman Kathy Salvi said in a statement.

The governor’s political future has been the topic of significant speculation, especially since he was shortlisted for former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate search last summer in her campaign for the White House. That and his vocal and frequent condemnations of President Donald Trump have fueled speculation of a presidential run in 2028.

The announcement that he will run for governor does not prohibit a future presidential run, because governor and president are not up in the same election cycle.

Several Republicans have announced plans to run for governor. DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said he would run earlier this year. Mechanic and Posen Park District Commissioner Phil Perez and businessman Joe Severino also have publicly said they are running, while Cook County GOP Chair Aaron Del Mar also is mulling a run.

Capitol News Illinois will cover the Chicago and Springfield events and have full coverage later today.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.