Pritzker to address New Hampshire Democratic fundraiser, fueling presidential rumors

(WTVO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will deliver the keynote address at the New Hampshire Democratic Party fundraiser, a move that has sparked speculation about the 2028 presidential race.

Pritzker will speak at the New Hampshire Democrats’ McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner on April 27 in Manchester.

“Pritzker is known for his ability to provide strong leadership in tough times, something we need now more than ever,” the organization said in a press release.

According to FOX News, New Hampshire holds the first primary race for the White House, and politicians traditionally make trips there as an early indication of their political aspirations.

Pritzker has repeatedly tamped down talk of his presidential aspirations, Last month, he said he had not made a decision on whether he would seek a third term as governor.

DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick announced he was going to run for the Republican nomination in the March 2026 primary.

New Hampshire Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley said Pritzker’s record in Illinois “is an example of why Democrats should govern all across this country – because they deliver.”

Pritzker has emerged as one of the Democrats’ most vocal opponents of President Donald Trump. He was under consideration to be former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024.

Pritzker has also done numerous interviews on national broadcasts since Trump was sworn in, increasing his visibility as one of Trump’s most vocal critics. 

The billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune also launched a pro-abortion organization, “Think Big America,” that provides funding for ballot measures in other states seeking to codify abortion access.

In his State of the State budget address, Pritzker drew comparisons between the Trump administration and the rise of the Nazis in pre-World War II Germany, but then told “The View” co-host Joy Behar, “I’m not suggesting that we’re heading all the way down that path, but I am suggesting that it should be like ‘red alert’ everybody. We should all wake up.”

“Everything that he has done has been tearing down constitutional democracy and that’s what happened in Nazi Germany,” he added.