Again in April, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker grew to become a viral sensation after telling a gathering of New Hampshire Democrats that the get together wanted fewer “do-nothing political types” and extra keen anti-MAGA warriors.
On Sunday, a gaggle of fugitive Texas state lawmakers gave Pritzker the prospect to place his (appreciable) cash the place his mouth is.
In a daring declaration that places him in direct battle with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton (R), Pritzker vowed to guard the breakaway Democratic lawmakers from Abbott’s threats of partisan lawfare. Each males harbor nationwide ambitions of their very own and would enjoyment of humbling Illinois’ swaggering governor on the nationwide stage, however Pritzker is satisfied he can outplay them each.
“We’re going to do the whole lot we will to guard each single one among them,” he mentioned at a press conference over the weekend. “We all know they’re doing the best factor. We all know that they’re following the regulation.”
Pritzker’s swing at Abbott and Paxton is the primary real-world take a look at of the aggressive political doctrine he debuted 4 months in the past in New Hampshire. He’s about to seek out out if it really works.
The governor’s technique isn’t fully altruistic. Most polls and prediction markets rank him within the backside tier of 2028 presidential contenders. At round 2 p.c assist, he barely trails billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban and former skilled wrestler Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Regardless of having fun with a constructive approval ranking in Illinois, few exterior the state might decide Pritzker from a lineup. He badly wants the jolt of media consideration {that a} primetime combat with Abbott and Paxton supplies.
He selected the best difficulty. Democratic voters are incensed at Republicans’ nakedly partisan scheme to guard their fragile Home majority by upending the once-a-decade redistricting schedule. When GOP leaders in Florida and Missouri prompt they could soon join Texas in mid-decade redistricting, Democratic leaders, together with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), responded with threats to conduct their very own mid-cycle changes.
Thus far, Pritzker’s political instincts are paying off. Democratic gamers, together with the Texas Democrats and former Democratic Nationwide Committee chair Jaime Harrison heaped reward on the governor, a sentiment echoed by dozens of the Lone Star State’s state Democratic lawmakers and left-leaning political influencers.
“Each Democratic elected official within the nation ought to take word,” Texas Democratic strategist Monique Alcala instructed me. “Democrats are hungry for fighters and Governor Pritzker and Texas Home Democrats are displaying the way it’s accomplished.”
All that reward hasn’t gone unnoticed by the opposite 2028 presidential hopefuls. Nobody is extra probably irritated with Pritzker than California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). Newsom noticed a showdown with Abbott and Paxton as his personal path again to seriousness after his misfire of a podcast launch earlier this 12 months. He had already responded to Texas’ redistricting risk by promising to redraw California’s congressional maps in Democrats’ favor. He even hosted some rogue Texas lawmakers of his personal. So why did Pritzker steal the highlight?
Newsom believes Democratic voters desire a return to the cool, tutorial center-rightism of the Obama years. H has spent a lot of 2025 rebranding himself as a form of irreverent, manosphere-adjacent mental. As a substitute of taking his mid-cycle redistricting combat on to the media with a Pritzker-esque stunt, Newsom sought to place himself because the consensus thought chief amongst his fellow Democratic governors.
To his credit score, Newsom appears to have succeeded in that, however being an elite thought chief may not be as helpful because it sounds in a celebration the place most Democratic voters see get together elites as weak and ineffective. Newsom is providing voters a professor on the very second they wish to elevate a brawler. Pritzker’s primetime slugfest with Abbott and Paxton is designed to go away little doubt in voters’ minds that he’s a brawler.
There’s additionally the sensible undeniable fact that the billionaire governor’s stacks of money are a extra quick assist to Texas Democrats than they’re to Newsom’s longer-term play. State Democrats had dominated out a “quorum bust” as a result of price and logistical challenges, till Pritzker provided to finance and set up the operation. Now they offer official press conferences in entrance of Pritzker’s campaign logo. If Pritzker desires to be seen because the get together’s “can-do” Democrat, it is a nice approach to begin.
Pritzker nonetheless has a protracted climb forward if he desires to achieve the rarefied ranks of a critical presidential contender. However his made-for-television rescue of Texas’ encircled Democrats reveals he’s critical about making the ascent.
Max Burns is a veteran Democratic strategist and founding father of Third Diploma Methods.