Politics
Democrat Governor Signals 2028 Aspirations By Headlining High-Profile Fundraiser
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is set to headline a massive Democratic Party fundraiser in New Hampshire on Sunday, a move that has been seen by political analysts as a clear indicator of presidential aspirations in 2028.
While Pritzker has delivered a number of high-profile speeches over the past year, Sunday’s headlining role at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, is widely viewed as the most prominent. The annual event has long stood out among Democratic Party fundraisers due to New Hampshire’s position in holding the nation’s first presidential primary.
Pritzker, whose speeches are often filled from start to finish with anti-Trump, is expected to stick to the same game plan on Sunday night. The governor will “address rising authoritarianism and the need for Democrats to fight back,” according to a statement from his spokesperson, Jordan Abudayyeh.
Governors are not term-limited in Illinois, though the second term governor has not yet stated whether he will run for that office again. A U.S. Senate bid is also a possibility, as longtime U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) became the fourth Senate Democrat this cycle to announce his retirement when he did so earlier this week.
The billionaire Hyatt heir has seemingly been laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign over the past several years, however.
Back in February, Pritzker drew national attention by using part of his joint budget and State of the State address to compare the Trump Administration to Nazi Germany. Since then, the governor has continued attempts to raise his national profile among Democrats with several high-profile addresses.
Over the past few months, the governor has spoken at the Human Right Campaign’s Los Angeles dinner and is scheduled to headline a Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party dinner in June.
Pritzker chats with then-President Joe Biden in 2023
Pritzker appears to be positioning himself as an option for the party’s far-left faction, which has been increasingly at odds with Democratic Party leadership in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election.
Other hypothetical Democrat candidates, including Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, have been attacked over taking a more cordial approach with the White House. Whitmer recently met with President Trump at the White House in order to discuss a number of economic and ecological issues, and while the governor initially attempted to hide from the press, she ultimately said she is looking forward to working with Trump when applicable.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has also taken a more centrist approach by sitting for podcasts with a number of Trump allies and influential conservatives, including Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk.
