Pritzker wins third term as Illinois governor

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is projected to win a third term leading the Prairie State, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Pritzker, a possible 2028 White House contender, defeated Republican Darren Bailey in Tuesday’s rematch. Bailey lost to Pritzker by more than 12 percentage points in 2022.

The billionaire Democrat ran unopposed in a March primary and was the favorite to win in the blue stronghold. He has made national headlines as a prominent critic of President Trump over the years.

Much of the focus on the incumbent governor in recent months, however, has focused on his future political ambitions.

His outsized wealth — from the Hyatt Hotels empire — would be a key asset should the governor run for president. As of late October, he had spent more than $38 million in the midterms.

Pritzker also put his thumb on the scale in the fiery Democratic primary for Senate earlier this year, with his pick, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, besting two other Democratic challengers for retiring Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat.

The Democratic governor has trailed other high-profile Democrats, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris, in recent polling around possible 2028 White House ambitions.

The Illinois Democrat has stopped short of completely ruling out a presidential bid.