Gov. J.B. Pritzker is asking Illinois voters to give him a third term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. If elected, he would be the first Democrat ever elected to three terms as Illinois governor, according to NBC Chicago.
Pritzker, a Democrat, faces Republican Darren Bailey and Independent Collin Corbett in the race. He has been certified for the ballot.
Candidate information
- Name: J.B. Pritzker (Jay Robert Pritzker)
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: Illinois Governor
- Born: Jan. 19, 1965, in Palo Alto, California
- Education: Milton Academy, high school diploma; bachelor's degree in political science and government, Duke University, 1987; law degree, Northwestern University, 1993
Experience and public service
Pritzker was sworn in as the 43rd governor of Illinois on Jan. 14, 2019, according to the governor's office. He has held the office since.
Before entering elected office, Pritzker founded and served as managing partner of Pritzker Group from 1996 to 2017. He founded 1871 in 2012. He served as chairman of ChicagoNEXT, the Chicago mayor's council on innovation and technology, starting in 2012.
Earlier in his career, Pritzker worked as a legislative staffer for U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos and U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon from 1987 to 1991. He served as chair of the Illinois Human Rights Commission from 2003 to 2006. He was national co-chair of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Pritzker's campaign materials and public statements. They reflect the candidate's own claims.
Economy and affordability: Pritzker said he is focused on tackling the affordability crisis. He said his priorities include eliminating the state's sales tax on groceries, doubling the state's child tax credit and lowering prescription drug prices in Illinois, according to CBS Chicago. He said increasing wages, supporting small businesses and growing jobs across the state are keys to a strong economy.
Women's rights and reproductive health: Pritzker's campaign said he has advanced equal pay, reproductive health, efforts to fight domestic violence and bodily autonomy.
Federal policy: Pritzker said he is fighting to oppose President Trump's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, roll back climate change protections and limit reproductive rights, according to CBS Chicago.
Healthcare, education and public safety: Pritzker's campaign has stated broad priorities in these areas, saying he believes health care is a right, that quality education should be available from early childhood through college and that protecting Illinois families is his most important job. His campaign materials did not detail specific proposals or funding plans for these priorities.
Endorsements
Pritzker has received endorsements from the AFL-CIO, Citizen Action Illinois, Leadership Now Project, Personal PAC, Equality IL, Cook County Democrats, the Chicago Federation of Labour, IBEW Local 134, IUOE Local 150, IUOE Local 399 and the Jewish Democratic Council of America, among others. Endorsements are claimed by the endorsing organizations.
Candidate positions and statements are based on campaign materials and responses collected by BallotReady. The Hinsdale Journal did not interview the candidate for this profile.
