Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has won the Democratic nomination for governor, setting up a bid for a third term in November. The billionaire businessman and heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune has led the state since first being elected in 2018 and was reelected in 2022.

Pritzker has overseen a Democratic administration that expanded social spending programs, backed abortion rights protections, and signed several gun-control measures into law. His political profile has also grown nationally in recent years, with the governor becoming a prominent voice within the Democratic Party on issues ranging from economic policy to culture-war debates with Republican-led states.

The Democratic governor enters the general election as the clear favorite in Illinois, a state that has consistently voted Democratic in statewide contests and presidential elections for decades. Republicans have struggled to win major statewide offices in recent years, giving Democrats a structural advantage heading into the November vote.

A victory this fall would give Pritzker a third term as governor and could further elevate his national profile. Political observers have frequently mentioned him as a potential contender in the 2028 presidential race, particularly as Democrats begin looking ahead to the next open White House contest.

For now, Pritzker and Illinois Democrats are focused on retaining control of the governor’s office in November, with the state widely viewed as safely Democratic in the general election.