CHICAGO – Just as you thought election news would be out of the headlines for a while, tidbits about potential Democrat challengers to oust incumbent Republican Governor Bruce Rauner in 2018 are taking notice.
In one case, the challenger promises to self-fund as Rauner did in 2014 – that being 51 year old Democrat – investor J.B. Pritzker, the youngest son of the late Donald Pritzker.
And encouraging a billionaire self-funder that at one time worked for Illinois' late Senator Alan Dixon and served as Hillary Clinton's national campaign co-chair in 2008 makes a lot of sense for Democrats in Illinois. They're already back on their heels after losing four seats in the Illinois House and two in the Illinois Senate last month.
"J.B. is not intimidated by Rauner’s money," a source close to Pritzker told Politico Monday. "If he did this, he would do whatever it took to do it the right way. He would run to win and he would do what it takes to do that."
Pritzker and his wife were on the front row when Hillary Clinton made her official concession speech the next morning after the election. Pritzker, who was active in the Chicago area during this year's campaign, told a Sun-Times reporter he blamed FBI Director James Comey, male voters and misleading polls for Clinton's loss.
Rauner himself funded most of those Republican advances on the efforts of Democrat Party Chairman/House Speaker Mike Madigan. Rauner's recently revealed tax filings showed business is doing very well – despite Rauner placing his investments in a blind trust while governing Illinois. He showed making $188 million in 2015 alone.
J.B. Pritzker – whose sister Penny is serving the Obama Administration as U.S. Commerce Secretary – has expanded his part of the Hyatt Hotel inheritance to an approximate $3 billion.
Rauner's personal investment in GOP State House and Senate races this past election could exceed $20 million – reports will be filed soon. The political reporting website "Follow the Money" says the Rauner Campaign Committee has given $30,018,611 to 64 different candidates and committees over the past three years.
It also reports Pritzker has given $3,195,111 to 121 different filers over the past 17 years – the vast majority to Democrats:
