Pritzker officially announces he will run for third term as Illinois governor

CHICAGO (WAND) - Governor JB Pritzker announced Thursday morning he will run for a third term as Illinois governor.

Pritzker announced the re-election campaign, promising to "continue to get big things done for working families and keep moving Illinois forward."

That announcement comes alongside the release of a new initiative called "Keep Illinois Moving Forward."

A third term run was expected from Pritzker. Illinois does not have term limits for governor.

His name has also been floated as a possible 2028 candidate for President of the United States.

Governor Pritzker said, "These days, Illinois is standing at the center of the fight: the fight to make life more affordable, the fight to protect our freedoms, the fight for common sense.

"We don't just talk about problems. In Illinois, we solve them. Because we know government ought to stand up for working families and be a force for good, not a weapon of revenge," he added.

The announcement comes right after Governor Pritzker signed his seventh balanced budget.

Pritzker, a Democrat, was first elected in 2018 after defeating incumbent Republican Governor Bruce Rauner. Pritzker tallied 55 percent of the vote.

In 2022, Pritzker easily won re-election by defeating Republican challenger Darren Bailey. Pritzker again won with 55 percent of the vote.

No other Democrats have publicly announced a gubernatorial run for 2026.

Republican challengers so far include, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick who announced his candidacy in February. Park district commissioner Phil Perez announced his run last month, and businessman Joe Severino announced in April.