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In his second term as governor, Democrat JB Pritzker is a rising figure in the party who will have the opportunity to speak at the convention tonight and to raise awareness of his state all week.
Pritzker led the effort to persuade the party to hold its convention in Chicago. The state’s reputation – and his own – depend on how the convention is received, whether it is marred by protests and whether it gives a boost to Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It’s Pritzker’s convention,” says Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield. “He clearly saw this as an opportunity for me to step up on a national level, get recognized and show what I can do.”
Pritzker was among the governors Vice President Kamala Harris considered as her running mate.
Here are some things you should know about him:
Pritzker, 59, is the heir to the Hyatt hotel and his personal fortune amounts to around $3.5 billion. according to ForbesIn 1957, one of his uncles bought a motel near Los Angeles Airport, which was to become the first in the Hyatt chain and benefit from the growth of US air traffic.
More from Chicago Public Media’s live coverage of the DNC
After losing his first attempt at public office in a 1997 congressional primary, Pritzker used some of his money to fund his own campaign for governor and won his first term in 2018. He has funded campaigns for other Democrats. And he founded a political action committee in support of abortion rights. Think big, Americawho bought anti-Trump posters during this year’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
During Pritzker’s tenure and with a Democratic-controlled legislature, Illinois passed laws making abortion more accessible. Pritzker says the federal government could do the same if Democrats win a majority in Congress – underscoring the central role of abortion in the presidential race.
He also supported a nationwide child tax credit, health insurance for undocumented immigrants, and a significant expansion of public preschool programs.
Pritzker is credited with helping to overcome the state’s fiscal crisis, improve Illinois’ credit rating and pay down billions in state debt. He has taken steps to bolster public employee pension funds, but they remain among the worst funded in the country. He has brought more money into the state by legalizing recreational marijuana use and sports betting.
But Republicans blame him for Illinois’ ongoing problems, which include gun violence in Chicago, population decline and high property taxes.
Pritzker’s re-election in 2022 has increased national attention on him and his criticism of Republican candidate Donald Trump. In his victory speech, he referenced Trump, saying, “To the false patriots and their supporters: You don’t love the United States if you aren’t willing to defend it against a man who would destroy it.”
As a fundraiser for President Joe Biden, Pritzker helped persuade the party to hold the convention in Chicago and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden dropped out of the race. Recently, Pritzker has escalated his attacks on Trump, calling him a “congenital liar“ and a “flatulent old man.”
Illinois has no term limits for governors, and Pritzker has not said whether he plans to run for a third term in 2026.
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Alex Degman covers politics for WBEZ.
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