Pritzker as VP? Illinois Gov. says he has yet to receive vetting papers from Harris team

As more Illinois Democrats fall in-line with President Joe Biden's endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's presidential nominee, questions now surround who Harris could select as her running mate and whether Gov. JB Pritzker could be the man for the job.

That even includes some meme references from Pritzker and an unaffiliated Pro-Pritzker group. But while there was an undoubted buzz and reports that the Harris camp was considering him, the governor told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Tuesday that he had yet to receive vetting papers from the campaign.

Asked more directly if he'd interested in becoming vice president, Pritzker said "I love being the governor of the state of Illinois" and detailed efforts at supporting Democrats up and down the ballot.

"It's important to me that we win across the board, and all across the United States," he said. "So, I'm going to continue to do that and I'm very interested in making sure that Kamala Harris becomes the next president."

The speculation comes as no surprise. The governor has followed a well-forged path of a candidate with national aspirations, according to Chris Mooney, professor emeritus in the political science department at the University of Illinois Chicago and a political commentator on Pritzker. This, along with the governor's considerable financial means, has prompted many to think he could be a viable contender for vice president or a presidential candidate in 2028.

"He has a great record in Illinois," Mooney said. "He got (Illinois) through COVID. He hasn't made huge amounts of enemies. He hasn't been convicted of any felonies. When you're talking about Illinois governors, you have to put that up as a significant criteria."

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While Pritzker has made the short-list, early polling suggests he may need to build up some name recognition. Prior to Biden's decision to drop out, an ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 71% of those they surveyed held no opinion on the governor as a potential 2024 replacement.

Here's what you need to know about Pritzker.

What has JB Pritzker accomplished during his time as governor?

Pritzker has been in the governor's office for more than six years and won two elections handily, after knocking off incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018 and fending off a challenge from state senator Darren Bailey in 2022. He came into office after serving as a benefactor of Hillary Clinton's 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns.

Under his administration, Illinois has seen nine credit upgrades and Pritzker has signed into law several major legislative pieces. That includes a ban on semi-assault weapons, raising the state minimum wage, a clean energy package phasing out carbon emissions from the energy and transportation sectors and ending the cash bail system.

The governor has also prioritized expanding access to early education— leading an initiative to provide preschool access to every three and four-year-old in Illinois by 2027 — and healthcare reform by ending the use of step therapy and prior authorization.

What did Pritzker's involvement look like in the Biden campaign?

Pritzker has been a surrogate for Biden and has traveled across the country to drum up support for the campaign. While later than other Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Pritzker endorsed Harris Monday morning and vowed to do whatever necessary for her to defeat former President Donald Trump. Harris, he said, "possesses the skills, strength, and character to lead this country and the vision to better the lives of all Americans."

More: Pritzker looks to build up 'blue wall' with stops in Indiana, Ohio

Trump has regularly been characterized as “a convicted felon, liable for sexual assault, and a congenital liar,” by the governor. But where Pritzker has especially targeted Trump and the GOP as a whole is on abortion. Through his Think Big America nonprofit advocacy group, Pritzker has funded efforts to protect access to abortion in Arizona, Ohio, Nevada and Virginia.

Has Pritzker been involved in any controversies?

Pritkzer’s political career has not been without controversy, aspects of which will likely be regurgitated during the 2024 Presidential campaign.

In late 2008, the FBI was secretly recording telephone conversations of then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who would later see prison time on corruption charges before being pardoned by Trump in 2020.

Since then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama was going to become president, Blagojevich had the ability to appoint his replacement. The Chicago Tribune obtained recordings of Blagojevich and Pritzker discussing the opportunity, which Pritzker said he was “really not that interested” in being named to the U.S. Senate. But he did express interest in becoming state treasurer if it became open.

The tapes also revealed Pritzker advocated for then-Secretary of State Jesse White to fill Obama’s seat, which he described as the “least offensive” of potential Black replacements. Critics lambasted the remarks for being racist and Pritzker has since apologized.

In the lead-up to the 2018 election, a government watchdog report found Pritzker had wrongly received tax breaks by removing toilets from a Chicago mansion he owned, making the home uninhabitable so it could be reassessed at a lower value. Pritzker paid back the $330,000 he owed, but has defended the decision to remove the toilets.

Others criticized a move by Pritzker to send $24 million to the Democratic Governors Association, who used that money to attack moderate Republican Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin and encourage Republicans to support Bailey before the 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary. It’s a legal tactic he and others have used to create a more favorable matchup in a general election

How wealthy is Pritzker?

Pritzker is oft-characterized as the richest politician in the country. He earns that distinction as an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, founded by his uncle, Jay, and managed by his father, Donald. It has allowed him to self-fund his campaigns and boost Democrats in Illinois and beyond. He also does not accept a state salary as governor.

The governor and his two siblings, Anthony Pritzker, managing partner of the Pritzker Group, and former United States Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, are on the Forbes 400 list. His net worth is $3.4 billion.

How old is Pritzker?

Pritzker is 59 years old.

Where did he go to college?

Pritzker graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. In 1993, he earned his Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law.

Before serving as governor, he founded 1871, a Chicago-based small business incubator, and co-founded the Pritzker Group with his brother.

Pritzker is married to Mary Kathryn Muenster, and the couple have two children.

Steven Spearie of The State Journal-Register contributed to this report.

Contact Patrick M. Keck: pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Pritzker on short-list for Kamala Harris VP. Here's what to know