JB Pritzker Wins 3rd Term As Illinois Governor

CHICAGO — Gov. JB Pritzker won a third term Tuesday, handedly defeating Republican Darren Bailey in a rematch of their 2022 race and extending Democrats’ hold on the governor’s office. 

Pritzker was declared the winner by the Associated Press with zero votes counted just as polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday. With about 7 percent of the vote recorded at 7:45 p.m., Pritzker lead Bailey with 68 percent of the vote.

“Illinois, my heart is full tonight with the kind of emotion we Midwestern Dads too often keep to ourselves,” Pritzker said from during his acceptance speech at his campaign’s watch party at Navy Pier. “Tonight is a good night. But the work does not end tonight. Tomorrow we wake up with hope rewarded, and purpose renewed.”

The victory gives Pritzker another four years — and an unprecedented third term for a Democrat governor — in Springfield as speculation continues about a possible 2028 presidential campaign. Pritzker has said he isn’t ruling out a run, but he has repeatedly said his focus is on Illinois. 

Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, gave his campaign fund $65 million in August. He has also poured nearly $39 million into supporting other Democrats and political causes nationwide in what experts said is an effort to bolster his national profile and political network, the Tribune reported.

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Asked about his political future while speaking to reporters Tuesday at Manny’s Deli, Pritzker said, “Tomorrow, I’m going to be continuing the work of being governor.”

Pritzker was first elected in 2018, defeating Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. He won reelection in 2022 by nearly 13 percentage points, defeating Bailey, a former state senator and millionaire farmer from downstate.

Bailey made a second bid for governor after winning the Republican nomination again this year. He campaigned on lowering taxes, reducing state spending and addressing public safety and the cost of living. He also called for repealing the SAFE-T Act, the state’s criminal justice overhaul that eliminated cash bail.

Pritzker has highlighted his administration’s record, including raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, guaranteeing paid leave for workers and enacting an assault weapons ban. He has also pointed to the state’s improved credit ratings and efforts to protect abortion rights in Illinois.

Pritzker and Bailey faced off in 2022’s gubernatorial election, with Pritzker easily winning after a contentious campaign season that saw the two repeatedly trade insults.

Bailey beat three other candidates to win the Republican primary for governor, while Pritzker ran unopposed in his party’s primary.

In his rematch with Pritzker, Bailey has looked to make amends with some Chicago voters following comments he made in his previous gubernatorial campaign calling the city a “hellhole.” He apologized for those remarks and even moved to Chicago ahead of the November election, NBC 5 reported.

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