Yesterday Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was elected to a second term. I listened to part of his victory speech.
It is very clear, at least to my ear, that he is running for president. In the unlikely event that President Biden chooses not to run, it looks to me as though every Democratic governor, which includes Newsom, Bennett, and Pritzker, will be seeking the nomination.
I did state the actuarial tables say an 80 year old man has a mortality of 10% before Jan 2025; and that doesn’t include the even higher risk of disabling health (cancer, stroke, heart attack, brain).
It is not probable, but it’s real enough that if you are eyeing the White House, one ought to prepare contingencies.
I don’t how Democrat politicians are interpreting last nights results. I do think the results in the Midwest imply the Democratic nominee is the prohibitive favorite in 2024. Republicans don’t hold a single statewide office in Pennsylvania or Michigan, and have a single senator in Wisconsin. With a reestablished blue wall; that’s 270 right there.
I think that there was a consensus on the NPR statehouse panel a few months ago that he is running. IIRC the evidence they pointed to was: (1) his campaigning in Florida; (2) the size of his financial war chest and campaign staff (both in plain numbers, but also in proportion to the challenge of his gubernatorial campaign); and (3) he didn’t deny that he was considering running for President when asked, he denied that he would challenge Biden.
I would add that I don’t if its public knowledge how much money the Pritzkers have in political causes nationwide, particularly progressive ones. A lot of people have to take his calls.
Still more votes to tabulate, but I’m not sure Pritzker’s electoral support deserves all of the cheerleading:
2018: Pritzker got 2,479,746 votes or 54.5% of the total vote.
2022: Pritzker got 2,084,997 votes or 53.9% of the total vote.
With 97.1% of precincts reporting, the 2022 numbers might increase, but by any impartial account, Pritzker faced one of the weakest opponents in my memory. And maybe that’s why he put the thumb on the scale in the Republican primary, because he didn’t want to win a plurality victory as a prelude for running for the White House.
Pritzker doesnt seem to have much of a national presence. Know nothing about him other than what you write. Big uphill battle I think.
Steve
Prissy,
Ritzky,
Piker.
Failing leader, failed state.
(Trump’s mental notations).