It really seems like Gov. JB Pritzker is running to be the next President of the United States:

[applegrove]

It really seems like Gov. JB Pritzker is running to be the next President of the United States.

Today he introduced the idea of a 'Project 2029', calling for restoring democracy, prosecution of Trump officials who have broken laws, universal healthcare, and an affordable minimum wage.

[GoCubsGo]

1. I would happily vote for him,

should he get the nomination. (I'll wait to see who all is running before I commit myself to a candidate in the primaries.)

[msongs]

2. nice to see a plan but are we supposed to be hating on billionaires these days?

[BComplex]

7. We're not necessarily the hating party.

There are definitely a bunch of billionaires that deserve to be hated for what they have done, but there are also a lot of really stupid maga poor folks that deserve the same.

[Dr. T]

12. There are good billionaires and then

there are bad billionaires.

If the guy has a metric shit-ton of money and he's fighting the good fight, I'm all for it. With money comes influence. Perhaps he will buy CBS and return it to its former glory.

[tinrobot]

15. I hate billionaires who think being rich means they know how to govern.

That usually never works out. Government is very different from business.

As for Pritzker, he has a solid track record as governor. He's obviously put in the work, so I'll give him a chance.

[Attilatheblond]

38. I'm a Newsom fan, but doubt he would carry the 'Fly Over' part of the nation

Pritzker is a good man and I like him a lot too. I see he has humor, like Newsom, but relies more on being a solid, rational, no nonsense powerhouse. Thinking he would carry areas Newsom won't. And he looks the part: Big Shoulders that can carry the load, like so many of the union workers the US has always counted on to get it done.

Either chap will have my whole hearted support, along with any of the up & comers who are bright and have fight in 'em. Our bench is deep and if we survive the fascist mayhem of Trump's backers, we will set the ship of state to rights again.

I have to keep faith in us all.

[Attilatheblond]

39. I hate voters who think being rich means businessmen know how to govern.

The business of business and the business of governance are two different things. Government cannot succeed if run like a business. Government is to serve, not be served. The business fans just don't get that reality.

[Trueblue Texan]

21. What's the use of hating anyone?

I don't hold it against anyone for being wealthy. But I don't believe it benefits a nation to have billionaires.

[IbogaProject]

54. We judge not by their net worth in money

But by the contact of their character. Newsome's social media posts are fun but he isn't our best cannidate for prez. He was caught partying at a winery while California was on Lockdown. Reguardless of his policies the other side's swift boat ads could cost us swing votes. We have to have a blowout, as manipulation is easier when the election is close according to Karl Rove.

[whathehell]

55. No, just the selfish ones who fight against

paying anything near their fair share of taxes.

[Diamond_Dog]

3. I certainly can't argue with any of that!

[bucolic_frolic]

4. I wouldn't write off his chances, hard-politick might capture the day

We need a real throw-back to patriotic eras ... Pritzker is the real deal

[BComplex]

5. I think he would make an outstanding president!

I have nothing but respect for the way he has been handling some truly awful situations brought on by the republicans.

[everyonematters]

6. Nobody owns him. He is definitely independently wealthy.

[MustLoveBeagles]

8. I wouldn't mind if he ran

He'd be missed here in Illinois.

[MichMan]

9. What does "an affordable minimum wage" mean?

[Trueblue Texan]

22. It means different things in different places. nt

[mopinko]

36. currently $15 in il, tipped workers get 60% of that.

$16.60 in chgo.

[Renew Deal]

10. Are we really going to replace one billionaire with another?

Last edited Sat Mar 21, 2026, 06:22 PM - Edit history (1)

It’s good news that both Newsom and Pritzger have universal healthcare on their agenda.

[Susan Calvin]

13. Well, I'd take FDR right now. nt

[moonscape]

16. I'm not sure how the adding of

an e to Newsom started, but you’re hardly alone. A lot of people do it.

It’s Newsom.

[Renew Deal]

20. It could be autocorrect

Because I don’t think I typed that

[DFW]

23. Probably an inadvertent crossover from spending too much time in areas where Republicanese is widely used.

Sort of like people who use an apostrophe to form a plural--it's standard Republicanese, but I doubt that most Democrats who do that do so deliberately.

I don't think it is a deliberate jab, such as using "Democrat" as an adjective.

[DFW]

18. Are we really going to make the top criterion a person's net worth?

Universal health care is a LOT more important than whether or not the nominee can afford his own. If it's the nominee's position that everyone should have access to health care, I don't care if he has more money than Elon Musk. What matters most to me is the extent to which the person in the Oval Office cares about the 349,999,000 Americans who don't.

[mopinko]

35. he's a good man who has spent a ton of him money doing good things.

he didnt get the money screwing ppl. he inherited it, but he had to fight for it cuz the cousins tried to cut him out of the old man’s will. and they made it running hotels. not building bombs, building deadly tech, or ripping ppl off.
jb has done very little to grow his fortune. he has about half as much as his cousins. the investments he’s made have added greatly to the common good here in chgo. he built a tech incubator that created lots and lots of jobs. he’s funded research and programs in early childhood education.

the family has always given back. chgo is full of hospital wings, schools and public spaces w the prizker name. col jennifer prizker’s construction company does stellar rehabs of historic bldgs, and built a military library that is amazing and inclusive.

he’s been a champion of women’s and lgbt rights since he was very a young man.

find something real to hate him for, i dare u.

[themaguffin]

51. Aren't we voting for the person who we think has the best qualification, policies & approach etc?

I don't want a billionaire president, but if he's bringing what we need, then whatever.
Whoever it is can't be anyone who runs as if things are normal or in any way isn't going to be aggressive to fix things and hold people accountable. Is that him? I don't know, but at least he's been going in that direction.

[bluestarone]

11. Would be a good president. What will happen is

The right will come out with lie after lie after lie just before election time. We need to get it in our head to VOTE for the Democrat in VERY election, Don't let any reason pop up to not vote!! (that's what they are counting on. VOTE VOTE VOTE for the Democrat wherever you live!!

[ShazamIam]

14. i would have no problem voting for Pritzker if he is the Democratic nominee.

[flashman13]

17. Not to put a too fine a point on it, but that is the bare minumum for any Dem candidate for any office.

[Bobstandard]

24. Agree! It's a litmus test

“Will you direct your DOJ to vigorously pursue suspected lawbreakers from the previous administration?”

Saying “I intend to re-establish the independence of the DOJ,” just won’t do. I want a candidate who is willing to use the new standards for the DOJ to go after the enemies of democracy.

[colorado_ufo]

19. Smart, terrific man, and he would make a great president, but I do not think he would win.

He is Jewish, and after the involvement of the US with Israel in this unlawful war, I think it will take this country a decade before it is comfortable with a Jewish president. I am old enough to remember the great hesitation many people had with electing John Kennedy, a Catholic, for fear his policies would be influenced by Rome.

We absolutely positively need to take back the White House, and if it means a white, Protestant male strong Democrat, so be it! We have a tremendous amount of damage to repair in this country, and that needs to be the first priority. Higher aspirations are for the future.

[tazcat]

25. Geez, can't we just get rid of religion? At least in politics. Separation of church and state. Damn.

[a kennedy]

27. Now that could be a rallying cry as well as like, TAX THE RICH!!!!!

[mucifer]

42. I agree. He's my Governor and he's great. But

I don’t think he could win.

I know there would be some on the left who wouldn’t vote for a Jewish billionaire even though he comes out strongly against Netanyahu and the Gaza war. He was also a founder of the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

That said I never thought another Illinoisan named Barack Hussein Obama could be President.

Just hope we can vote and our votes will be counted.

[UTUSN]

26. Fine with me! He's got the FDR aura, & he flicks KRASNOV off like a fly on his shoulder.

Whoever/Repuke after KRASNOV will be even less than a fly.

[DFW]

28. We have a few potential candidates out there who could propbably do the job well.

Not all want the job, and not all stand a good chance of being elected in nominated. But when has that NOT been the case with us? Personally, I think Pete Buttigeig has impeccable qualifications for the presidency. But would an openly gay guy get elected? I have my doubts, and Mayor Pete absolutely could run the country at least as well any currently discussed prospect. I would be thrilled to see him in the Oval Office. I would dread the campaign he'd have to go through to get there.

Other than Buttigeig or Pritzker? I think Mark Kelly could do it. I'm not sure he wants to. I just saw Rubén Gallego's name discussed (a new one to me). Rubén and I keep in touch, and he hasn't said a peep to me on the subject, for whatever that is worth to anyone reading this. If he's even thinking about it, I hope he keeps his mouth SHUT for a year at least, including to me.

The nonstop touting of Gavin Newsom's name seems to have died down somewhat for now, for whatever that is worth. If he wants the job, past experience indicates that he would do well to get his name out of the headlines for a while if he doesn't want to end up like Howard Dean. The press hates a front-runner, and the current right-wing press hates a charismatic Democratic front-runner even more.

[FakeNoose]

46. Agree with all of these choices

First I'd like to see Pete Buttigieg get some legislative experience though. I hope he plans to run for Congress in the next couple of years. It would make a good stepping stone for an eventual run for the White House. I believe Buttigieg is the future of the Democratic Party.

Since I'm in Pennsylvania I'd like to see our Governor Josh Shapiro being considered, and he may decide to run. Alternatively Shapiro would be an awesome choice for Attorney General to the next Dem president. (And so would Kamala Harris.) We have a deep bench!

But for the next presidential election, the ones who are ready now are the names you've mentioned: J.B. Pritzker, Mark Kelly, and the inevitable Gavin Newsom.

[lees1975]

29. He is certainly considering it.

And he'd have my vote.

[AverageOldGuy]

30. I will vote for the Democratic Presidential candidate who promises:

To appoint an Attorney General who is the meanest, most bloodthirsty bastard male or female to be found and who pledges to turn the AG loose on the entire Trump administration.

And if the AG pledges to build a gallows on the National Mall to accommodate 10 at a time, all the better.

[wnylib]

37. Letitia James

For US AG.

[Bluetus]

31. Contrast the 3 that are all but announced: Newsom, Pritzker, Beshear

Beshear is posturing as the ultimate centerist, taking no positions on anything. His message is, "Look at me, I get along with Republicans in my state". Not interested. Maybe Kentucky Republicans are more deserving of cooperation and respect. We see a little of that with Paul and Massie. OTOH, Comer is as big an asshole as there is anywhere and McConnell is right there too. I will certainly vote for Beshear if he is the candidate, but I think this would be a very poor decision.

Newsom is posturing to be the smart guy who doesn't back down from the bully and is willing to attack Trump in ways nobody else has. I could certainly work for Newsom.

Pritzker is posturing as the "I can't explain those other guys, but where I live, Americans are mad as hell. Americans are looking for somebody to kick ass and take names. I'm reporting for duty." This is 100% where I am. And frankly, at this stage, I wouldn't mind seeing Pritzker and Chris Christie join forces. They look like they could be brothers. After what Trump has put the country through, maybe we need a radical idea like that. They are both seasoned politicians, nobody's fools. They are both smart, and neither is afraid to say exactly how they feel.

There will be others, of course, but these are the 3 that are making no secret of it.

Buttigieg is also out there, but I think he is more likely to end up positioning for the VP spot. I think he would be enormously helpful to any ticket, but probably not seen as strong/prominent enough to get the POTUS nomination.

[quaint]

44. Disagree about Chris Christie: He has called President Obama a "feckless weakling" .

No pass just because he is anti-Trump. Still an over-stuffed shirt llus, in my opinion.

[Bluetus]

52. Every politician says things that don't age well.

I wouldn't use the term "feckless weakling", but that isn't so different from "No drama Obama". He earned (and owned) that moniker by avoiding confrontation at every possibility.

He had his reasons and that was a different time. In today's world, nobody is looking for "no drama". People want real fighters. Of all the candidates I mentioned, I think Pritzker has the best alignment with where Americans are at this stage. That doesn't mean he will win. There are many factors.

[liberalla]

32. I like him!

[nycbos]

33. I am from NY originally but I live in Chicago now.

I would vote for him, but I also worry he couldn’t win an election because I’m not sure this country will ever elect a Jewish president. I am Jewish myself I’m alarmed on a daily basis how antisemitism seems to be a cause that unites the right and the left.

[jfz9580m]

43. It is scary

I disagree entirely with the war profiteers and propaganda outlets benefiting from this. But it is always useful for the JD Vance type of “pro Israel” type to have a scapegoat group you both use and groom to be the scapegoat. The Vance type is baffling..
It is some weird transactional eugenics worldview.
They want to overwrite the horrors of the holocaust. I was shocked to see that Letter from Bin Laden circulate.

That is a disastrous addition to the current mess.
But at least the saner parts of the left like Nathan Robinson get it:

https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-rise-of-nick-fuentes-should-horrify-us-all

[FakeNoose]

49. OK, I won't disagree

I would add that the same can be said for most of us Americans on DU: we love our country but we hate its current leadership. It doesn't make us "antifa" to say that Chump is the worst President in the history of the US.

I'm not antisemitic in the least, and I've admired Israel up until Netanyahu became its leader.

[wnylib]

34. I'd vote for those things.

[Niagara]

40. I like Gov. JB Pritzker

I'm hoping that he's a contender for the next Presidential election.


He's correct about all the topics that he addresses especially Universal Healthcare.

[babylonsister]

41. He's one of my faves. Very

smart, compassionate, seems to be a problem solver.

[blueknight73]

45. Honestly,

I think the guy is great, but I also think another billionaire and a Jewish one at that, would never win in this day and time. I think the best hope for us would be Andy Beshear, Governor from Kentucky. People are sick of billionaires.

[Mysterian]

48. Pritzker would win against any scumbag republican

If someone does not vote for him because he is Jewish, they are maggots who would not vote for him if he were a Christian.

[Mud Boy Jr]

50. Jb's Housing

His solution to the housing crisis is to concede it to the real estate industry. Yimby Action, Anundant Housing Illinois, and Strong Towns Chicago are shills for the real estate industry. JB seems to love these groups and their ideas on housing. Unlike Jb and the aforementioned groups I am not a fan of supply side economics when applied to housing. His and their ideas about solving the housing crisis are very worrisome.

[dlk]

53. Whomever Democrats nominate, we need someone willing to fight like a junkyard dog

Republicans lie and play dirty, and look where we are today — a very deep dark hole.

If our democracy is going to survive and thrive, there needs to be a purge of every rotten MAGA and Project 2025 Republicans from every corner of our government, like the cancer on our freedoms that they are. Half measures won’t cut it.