Pritzker won a third term as Illinois governor, defeating Republican Darren Bailey for the second time.
JB Pritzker, 61, is a billionaire businessman from the family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain. He built Chicago investment and startup firms before entering elected office, and he has used his own fortune to fund his campaigns, which makes him hard to outspend.
As governor since 2019, he has raised the minimum wage, legalized recreational marijuana, expanded preschool and signed a state budget streak after years of fiscal fights. He has also become one of President Trump’s loudest Democratic critics, which keeps his name in national conversations about 2028.
A third term gives Pritzker one of the longest runs of any sitting Democratic governor. Watch whether he turns that platform toward a presidential bid — and how he handles Illinois’ pension debt, the state’s oldest money problem.
Fast facts
- Age: 61
- Party: Democratic
- Office: Governor of Illinois
- State: Illinois
- Previous job: Governor of Illinois (since 2019)
- Called by AP: verified in the desk’s 9:00 p.m. ET check, Nov. 3
Part of the Zark News Election 2026 winners profile series. Winners are listed as called by the Associated Press.
