Pritzker Projects 2028 Doom if Dems Don't Win in 2026
Governor JB Pritzker and running mate Christian Mitchell walk with faith leaders to an early voting site in the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago Monday. (Photo: Pritzker campaign)
Governor JB Pritzker said Monday if Democrats aren’t successful in the 2026 midterms, Republicans won’t allow a “fair election” in 2028.
Pritzker made his comments in response to an unrelated question from The Illinoize after an early voting event with faith leaders at a church in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood Monday.
“Honestly, I don’t think there is a 2028 fair election if Democrats don’t win in 2026,” he said.
When we asked the Pritzker campaign to clarify his statements, they pointed us to a January 2026 piece in Rolling Stone magazine which highlighted some of President Donald Trump’s most outrageous comments on election meddling.
“I would also refer you to the president’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election that he lost,” a spokesman said.
It isn’t the first time Pritzker has ramped up his rhetoric about elections.
Last fall, Pritzker said Trump was looking to interfere in the 2026 elections by stationing troops at the polls.
“This is a part of his plan to do something really nefarious, which is to interfere with elections in 2026,” Pritzker said in September 2025. “He wants to have troops on the ground to stop people from voting, to intimidate people from going to the voting booth. Take note, that is what this is all about.”
He doubled down on the comment the next day.
The Trump administration has not publicly announced any plans to put federal agents or troops at polls in November. Earlier this month, the Defense Department told a Democratic Senator there were “no plans” to deploy the military to polling places.
Pritzker, who is a heavy favorite to win a third term in November, has traveled the country campaigning for Democratic candidates this fall and has established an outside PAC aimed at winning longshot House races. He is also widely considered a potential 2028 candidate for President.
Here is our full exchange with Pritzker Monday:
