Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Trump Feud: Will It Cost Him in the 2026 Governor's Race?

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is more than likely to win a third term as Illinois' governor, however, I find myself wondering if he's going to take a serious beating for his ongoing feud with our 47th POTUS Donald Trump.

In a recent wide-ranging interview with POLITICO at Chicago's iconic Manny's Deli, Pritzker sat down for a candid conversation covering everything from the 2024 election fallout to his sharp criticisms of Trump, his influence in state politics, and speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run. The governor didn't hold back, framing Trump's leadership in stark terms and doubling down on the confrontational style that's defined much of his time in office.

Pritzker has positioned himself as one of the leading Trump antagonists among Democrats. In the interview and recent statements, he highlights what he sees as damage from Trump's agenda to working families, farms, retailers, and more—while criticizing policies on tariffs, immigration enforcement, and broader governance. He portrays the current administration in strong language, calling out tones of political violence and authoritarian tendencies.

Check out the interview here [VIDEO]

CBS News VP Debate

 

[VIDEO] CBS News had broadcast this debate (and aired on all the major news networks) between US Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN).

Unlike the debate last month between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris I will show this one today. That debate will come later.

This wasn't a particularly exciting debate, but I didn't detect any attacks or even any baits between these two candidates. There were some common ground seen between these two men, especially when on some issues there were a stark divide.

Both men by my eyes came off very well. I'm not so sure about Gov. Walz but then again I have no real issues with Sen. Vance. I'm glad to see Vance would be supportive of Walz if he gets elected. Hopefully Walz would do they same.

What was noted by some pundits and by my eyes Walz seemed very nervous. I would day say for me Walz at times seemed to have the "deer in headlights" look. Some will say he didn't belong on that stage, and well who am I to judge as I'm not up there. And nor is anyone else saying that although many of them are on TV and I'm not.

What I would say is that both VP Harris and Gov. Walz come from states that are most favorable to them as far as electoral process. Especially the Vice President. I don't know what the margin of victory for Walz in his elections for the Governor of Minnesota, however, that state is considered a solid blue state so who knows being on that national stage for a debate might be new territory for him.

I didn't see this debate from the beginning, missed out on the main event for NXT on The CW network (not a major network). So there were some portions of the debate that was missed but I'm glad I saw it.

Kamala Harris #DNCChicago acceptance speech

 

[VIDEO] Well the 2024 Democrat Nat'l Convention in Chicago is a wrap and Vice President Kamala Harris made her acceptance speech on Thursday night.

It wasn't a bad speech, there were two things I could hit her on which is the border especially. She was the border tsar and she was famously interviewed by NBC News anchor Lester Holt as far as whether or not she went to the border. When she's caught off guard or forced to answer a question she doesn't want to answer she's so awkward.

Either way it wasn't a bad speech. Having seen enough of this convention we see what the Democrats represents. There were some vignettes from those four nights which well it was just strange.

The themes are women's rights, love who you want to love, reproductive rights (and not so much abortion, they talked a lot about in-vitro fertilization), of course they hit on racial issues. Oprah Winfrey on the final night of the convention talked about integrating schools and mentioned one brave child - who passed away as a grandmother recently - who had to endure the possibility of a sniper.

I mean who'd have thought in order to integrate a public school in the south someone would be willing to shoot a child. It just shows how far we've come as a nation though we still have some work to do it seems.

Anyway, I'm a long way from prognosticating the 2024 Presidential Race. The Vice President isn't a great candidate and we could argue Democratic delegates...no Democratic voters didn't really get a chance to vote for her. Most of them voted for the incumbent President who dropped out of the race just last month.

And I look forward to whatever debates the Vice President will have with the 45th President. Certainly it would be great to see her running mate MN Gov. Tim Walz debate OH U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance debate each other as well.

Gov. Tim Walz acceptance speech at #DNCChicago

 

[VIDEO] The Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz speech last night at the Democrat Nat'l Convention in Chicago. He accepts his party's nomination for Vice President and running mate to the presumptive Democrat nominee and sitting Vice President Kamala Harris.

Tonight Kamala Harris will accept the Democrat nomination for President of the United States.

DNC Chicago 2024

Chicago Tribune photo

Haven't really had the time to watch the DNC this week. Got a lot going on at home right now.

I did at least see Doug Emhoff, Michelle Obama and former Pres. Barack Obama speak last night. Will share at a later time.

I also understand that IL Gov. J.B. Pritzker spoke last night at the DNC will also share that.

On Monday Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke to the DNC. And also so did outgoing President Joe Biden who dropped out of the 2024 race just last month.

Of course all of our local politicians - especially the high profile ones - will be speaking at a nat'l political convention. From Governor on down. However, expect me to share remarks by the Vice President's running mate MN Gov. Tim Walz and of course Vice Pres. Kamala Harris.

How these usually go Walz will likely speak tonight and then the Vice President will speak on Thursday night , the last evening of the convention.

Thankfully there weren't a lot of problems outside of the convention. I see police were shown in riot gear and of course arrests were made because well some people don't mind pushing the limits. People were expecting Chicago to be out of control and I'm not seeing that yet.

Then again admittedly I'm not following a lot of coverage on whatever protests are going on. Let's hope things don't go to out of control. However, I'm encouraged that Chicago Police will step in before things go too crazy.

VP Kamala Harris has chosen her running mate.

 Allow me to share her tweet from about an hour ago. She chooses Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate against former President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH).

I am proud to announce that I've asked @Tim_Walz to be my running mate.

As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he's delivered for working families like his.

It's great to have him on the team.

Now let’s get to work. Join us:https://t.co/W4AE2WlMTj

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 6, 2024

Allow me to share a livestream going on as I share this post from Mr. Beat who did the same thing when Trump announced Sen. Vance as his running mate last month. [VIDEO]

Gov. Walz is from a blue state and certainly might share some of the same ideals as Harris (that is if she has an real ideas or ideology or core values). More than likely she'll win Minnesota so I'm not sure what real benefit Walz pick would be.

In general people will still vote for who they want as President more so than who they want as Vice President. And just as we have to get to know Sen. Vance (whom Democrats have started calling "weird"), we'll have to get to know Gov. Walz.

I may point out that the unrest and anxiety of 2020 is in the rearview mirror I wonder if in any future Vice Presidential debates that questions might be asked about his response to the riots in Minneapolis in the wake of George Floyd's death while being arrested by police. We shall see...

Daniel Cameron victory speech in Kentucky

 

[VIDEO] I didn't know this but yesterday was election day in Kentucky. They have their own statewide elections in off years - neither midterm nor presidential years. So last night Republicans voted in a primary an elected their Attorney General Daniel Cameron as their nominee for Kentucky Governor.

Above from a Kentucky TV station is Cameron's victory speech. You may know Cameron from his findings with regards to those police officers who were involved in the tragic death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky during a raid back in 2020.

Also last year I heralded that three Black Republicans were running for Governor last year. In our state - Illinois - Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin who had a significant financial advantage being backed by billionaire Ken Griffin was edged out by nominee Darren Bailey in last year's Republican primary. In Michigan the former Detroit Police Chief James Craig was knocked off the ballot. In Georgia, former state Representative Vernon Jones actually withdrew from the Governor's race to instead make an unsuccessful run for U.S. Congress.

I'd be curious to see how Daniel Cameron will fare against incumbent Kentucky Governor Andy Breshear in November of this year.

Meanwhile there is currently one sitting Black Governor in America who was elected in the 2022 midterms, Democrat Wes Moore in Maryland.

FOX News: Chicago Democrat asks for President Trump's help

[VIDEO] This is not something we see everyday. Chicago is supposed to be a "Trump-free" zone and we are home to a piece of Trump owned real-estate that people seem to love making a statement in front of. Let's not forget Mayor Rahm Emanuel has little issue going at it in the press with the President.

Then we see state representative LaShawn Ford discussing why he would like President Donald Trump to send federal help to Chicago with regards to the gun violence. He is one local Democrat who isn't accepting Chicago as a "Trump-free" zone. He appeared on FOX & Friends on Monday morning something you might have seen on Capitol Fax yesterday.

You know I can't blame him one bit. Don't just get federal assistance, get state assistance as well. Over the years there were plans to send in the Illinois State Police at least and it seems city hall - or perhaps Mayor Emanuel himself - has rebuffed this assistance. I think it went beyond whatever animosity between Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner, Emanuel didn't get along well with our former governor Pat Quinn who is seeking to install mayoral term limits on the November ballot.

BTW, I posted this to The Sixth Ward last night with regards to the city council's Black Caucus making their own statement to the violence of this past weekend.

Capitol Fax: The Black Caucus response to the city’s mass shootings https://t.co/XQcqQfz0q5

— The Sixth Ward (@TheSixthWard) August 8, 2018

It obvious this violence is giving our city some negative attention, it's time to start working to make Chicago safe again!

The Sixth Ward: You are NOT getting the people you are voting for as state representative and senator!

Former state sen. Donne Trotter

I'm sharing this post from The Sixth Ward for those of you who live in both the 34th state representative and 17th state senate districts. Of course the changes that took place evidently occurred during the period where it was too late to change the names on the ballot. JP Paulus published this post on election day Tuesday.

You are NOT getting the people you are voting for as state representative and senator! https://t.co/TX5kkfA9R5

— The Sixth Ward (@TheSixthWard) March 20, 2018

As happens with a retirement (there are other scenarios, but this is what happened in this case) the party "bosses" of a particular state legislative district decides who will finish the length of that term in that seat. So while Donne Trotter had actually retired just about two months before Tuesday's election his name remained on the ballot. He's no longer a state senator for the 17th district...

As for Elgie Sims, he was appointed by party bosses to finish Trotter's unfinished term and yet he reamins on ballot for his previous job as 34th district state representative. And those party bosses appoint Sims' successor Nicholas Smith and his name was not on the ballot for Tuesday's primary election.

JP Paulus makes a solid case for a special election to fill vacated state legislative seats. What do you all think?

"Strategic gentrication"

Before writing about the story below, what I hope to post about later may be semi-related to this. The new distribution center for Whole Foods is now open for business and what will be posted later are ig posts & tweets related to this significant event. I believe this to be a great boost to the south side Pullman neighborhood where the center will be located.

That said, the post to be continued below is about a charge made last week by a gubernatorial candidate of "strategic gentrification". Of which to be fair there are those who are alleging this with the Whole Foods store that is currently open in Englewood at 63rd Street & Halsted. That said the question could be asked is Whole Foods Market a catalyst for change in a depressed neighborhood offering jobs and better food for an area or is it just part of a strategy of gentrification. You be the judge after you listen to Democrat gubernatorial candidate Christ Kennedy below - he seeks to unseat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner who is seeking re-election

[VIDEO] The comments of Chris Kennedy - who's running in this year's Democratic primary for Governor and a nephew of the 35th President John F. Kennedy - made some comments that got people talking last week. He thinks that there is "stragetic gentrification" going on in Black communities and his evidence are closed schools and social services facilities. Needless to say as he accused Mayor Emanuel of knowing about this the mayor bristled under the suggestion.

Via Tribune:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Friday called Democratic governor candidate Chris Kennedy’s claim that the mayor is making Chicago “whiter” and wealthier a “hallucinatory” insult.

Emanuel said he’s “looking forward to ideas, not insults” in his first public comments since Kennedy on Wednesday accused him of leading a "strategic gentrification plan” forcing African-American residents out of the city.

“It is easy to cast blame and point fingers,” the mayor said. “Where are the ideas? Where are the solutions, real solutions to real challenges that make those challenges opportunities?”

Emanuel also quoted a Chicago Tribune editorial that was critical of Kennedy’s comments. “As the Chicago Tribune referred to it today as imaginary, hallucinatory,” he said. “I hope nobody ever describes any of my ideas that way.”
...
Emanuel on Friday said he was troubled by the city’s black population decline and said the factors behind the drop can’t be explained in brief television news segments. “Of course it troubles me, which is why we’re making an investment in the neighborhoods across the city of Chicago. That’s a longer discussion, that’s going to take longer than standing here and get snipped and cut up later when it gets produced,” he said.

Support among African-American Chicagoans remains a potential political weakness for Emanuel as he gears up for a 2019 re-election run.

Over at Capitol Fax an excerpt of a Kennedy press release:

Statement from Rebecca Evans, spokeswoman for Chris Kennedy:

Unlike JB Pritzker, who continues to remain silent to protect the political establishment, Chris Kennedy has the political courage to speak truth to power. He will stand up to anyone regardless of party, position or influence if it means standing up for justice, equality and opportunity for everyone in Illinois.

Chris Kennedy isn’t hiding behind $17 million worth of scripted TV ads. He will use his voice to stand up for what is right even if it’s calling out inconvenient truths that are hurting people of color in Chicago.

He has said from the start of this campaign that he wants to dismantle the structural inequities that exist in our government. He has put forward real solutions and plans on how we can do it. We must allow an elected school board, stop closing public schools, put an end to the discriminatory property tax racket, and fully address the civil rights violations described in the Department of Justice’s report on the Chicago Police Department.

Ah so two Democrats are at odds here. Rahm Emanuel isn't too thrilled with Kennedy's comments and it seems the campaign is going along with it.

If you live in Chicago's 9th ward...

You may have received these palm cards from the Cook County Democratic Party in the mailbox which you are able to bring with you into the voting booth next Tuesday. One has a general listing for candidates the other one lists the judges you will vote for next week.

Capitol Fax: Alvarez fighting to obtain party nod

In sharing this post at Capitol Fax, it's not just about state's attorney Anita Alvarez who sought backing from the Cook County Democrats. Todd Stroger wants to get back into politics is seeking an open seat on the Water Reclamation District. Rich Miller further opines that "This officeholder [Alvarez] really needs a primary so she can be held accountable…"

To go much further, this is really a post about how slating works in Cook County. Over the years there have been articles on the slating of judicial candidates in Cook County. Certainly it's a very political process but hey we are talking about politics here.

BTW, I retweeted this tweet from yesterday Chicago politicos met for slating there are a couple of familiar faces in this photo.

Looking for your alderman?(or any other Cook County dem for that matter) they're probably at Erie Cafe for slating pic.twitter.com/olvAuWeDUV

— Lauren Chooljian (@laurenchooljian) August 18, 2015

 

Alderman Sawyer is in the background on his phone and Alderman Beale is very attentive here.

BTW, to go back to Alvarez for a moment we'll go back to the vault to this post. She was interviewed for a 60 Minutes story regarding false confessions out of Chicago. Do you think Anita Alvarez should have a contested primary?