Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's chances of being Harris' VP pick
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Vice President Kamala Harris at a rally to support Illinois Democrats with Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (L) and Gov. JB Pritzker on Sept. 16, 2022, in Chicago. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination Monday, shifting attention to his prospects as her VP pick.
The big picture: The governor has been a frequent surrogate during the Biden campaign, specializing in attacking former President Trump, the Republican nominee.
What he's saying: "Vice President Harris has proven, at every point in her career, that she possesses the skills, strength, and character to lead this country and the vision to better the lives of all Americans," Pritzker said in a statement Monday morning.
Context: Pritzker has long been considered a rising name in the Democratic Party. The second-term governor played a huge role in bringing next month's Democratic National Convention to Chicago.
Zoom in: "Show me another governor in the nation with a stronger track record on issues Democrats can win on," local Democratic strategist Becky Carroll tells Axios.
- "He's ready on Day 1 to slip into the VP role, and we don't have time for a learning curve."
Why Pritzker would be a good fit: Money. The wealthy, self-financed candidate has deep pockets and friends with deeper ones. He fundraised for Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016 and has effectively taken over fundraising for Democrats in Illinois.
- Plus: Pritzker has touted his experience balancing budgets, investing in green energy and technology and signing an automatic weapons ban in Illinois.
- He has a sharp tongue. He's tussled publicly with Republican leaders like Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
- He's also been a vocal advocate in the national debate over women's reproductive rights, a key issue for Democrats in 2024.
Between the lines: If Pritzker is tapped to be a VP candidate, Illinois would probably not be in danger of losing its blue leadership if he were replaced.
The other side: The governor is not from a swing state like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania or Arizona, which are crucial for Democrats' path to victory in November.
- He could be considered competition instead of complementary. Pritzker has made it well known he fancies a run at the White House.
Zoom out: The list of other possible VP picks is long, including Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
The intrigue: Many potential presidential candidates had stepped aside this year to keep Biden's re-election clear, turning their sights to 2028.
- But if Harris wins in November, she would likely run again as an incumbent in 2028, forcing other politicians like Pritzker to push theoretical timelines to 2032.
What's next: A Democratic National Committee meeting to go over rules for replacing Biden and the upcoming DNC is scheduled for Wednesday.