Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker plans re-election run as third-term bid sparks talk of a possible 2028 presidential campaign.

Pritzker Expected to Launch Re-election Campaign in Chicago

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is expected to announce on Thursday that he will seek a third four-year term as the state’s top executive, according to sources familiar with the governor’s plans. The anticipated announcement will take place in Chicago, with Pritzker scheduled to continue his launch tour in Springfield, the state capital.

Pritzker, a billionaire businessman and heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, has been a dominant force in Illinois politics since his first election in 2018. He joins a small club of state executives in Illinois history, as no governor has secured three terms in more than thirty years.

The governor’s expected run comes as he continues to play a central role in national Democratic politics. Pritzker has positioned himself as one of the party’s most vocal critics of President Donald Trump, particularly in the wake of sweeping policy changes enacted during Trump’s second term in the White House. “We’ve got to be ready for the fight,” Pritzker said in a recent interview, emphasizing what he called a “constitutional crisis” and the negative effects of the Trump administration’s policies on vulnerable communities.

National Profile and 2028 White House Buzz

Observers note that Pritzker’s re-election campaign is unlikely to diminish speculation about his future on the national stage. As a high-profile surrogate for both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign, Pritzker traveled to key battleground states like Nevada and New Hampshire—traditional proving grounds for presidential hopefuls. His headline appearance at a major New Hampshire Democratic fundraiser this spring further fueled rumors about a possible bid for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.

Pritzker’s record includes efforts to “Trump-proof” Illinois by implementing policies designed to shield the state from federal directives he opposes. “You come for my people, you come through me,” Pritzker told reporters earlier this year, signaling a combative approach to national Republican leadership.

Illinois remains the nation’s sixth most populous state and has no term limits for statewide offices. Pritzker’s campaign is expected to leverage both his extensive business background and his record on issues ranging from healthcare and education to economic growth and civil rights.

As the 2026 gubernatorial race takes shape, attention will focus not only on Pritzker’s policy agenda but also on how his continued rise could influence the national direction of the Democratic Party. Whether his third-term bid serves as a springboard to the White House remains a central question for Illinois voters and national observers alike.