Pritzker for president? Illinois governor's trip to New Hampshire stirs speculation

Gov. JB Pritzker will be the keynote speaker at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's annual state convention on Saturday party officials have confirmed, fueling talk that he is feeling out a run for the White House in 2024.

Pritzker will be at the convention in Manchester in person.

Pritzker's appearance in the Granite State comes on the heels of a New York Magazine article in late May mentioning Pritzker as a viable alternative to President Joe Biden. The White House recently confirmed Biden is running again in 2024.

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New Hampshire is scheduled to hold the first primary of the 2024 presidential season so any visit to the state by contenders such as Pritzker can create a stir.

Politicos will be paying attention to Pritzker's visit, said Chris Mooney, a political science professor at the University of Illinois Chicago and a political commentator.

"You go to New Hampshire at this time to say, 'I’m interested (in being president),'" said Mooney, who was formerly at the University of Illinois Springfield. "That’s an absolute message that is intentionally being sent, I would suggest, by the Pritzker campaign because what they have to do is start feeling out and this is what this is a process of. It’s what happens all the time. It’s the most cliché first step in a presidential campaign.

"He’s running as much as anyone’s running."

A press secretary for New Hampshire's Democratic Party and the Pritzker campaign's communications director both downplayed any connection between his appearance and presidential talk.

Pritzker may be "a fresh face" the party is looking, Mooney added. Even after Biden announced, Mooney doubted the president will make a bid in 2024.

"Nobody seriously believes, I think, that Joe Biden is going to run again," Mooney said. "Joe Biden is going to say what he has to say to keep relevant as long as he can.

"I think it’s more likely that (Donald) Trump is going to run than Biden is going to run. I don’t think Trump is going to run in a serious way."

Governors "are a natural talent pool for presidential races," Mooney said. "Another thing that’s attractive about Pritzker is that he’s mega-rich and being mega-rich in politics these days gets you noticed."

In New Hampshire, Pritzker is stumping for U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan and U.S. Reps. Chris Pappas and Ann McLane Kuster, all seeking reelection, and Dr. Tom Sherman, who is running unopposed in the gubernatorial primary and would likely face Republican incumbent Chris Sununu in the fall.

Natalie Edelstein, who is with Pritzker's campaign, said the governor will also be stumping for Maine incumbent Gov. Janet Mills.

"(Gov. Pritzker) is focused on supporting and electing Democratic governors, given his belief that Democratic governors in the (post-Roe v. Wade) era are the last line of defense to defend reproductive rights," Edelstein said.

Illinois is uncommon among its neighbors for its policies protecting abortion rights. Every state that neighbors Illinois is either certain to ban abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court or likely to ban the procedure within a year, according to a January analysis from Pew Charitable Trusts.

Because of existing restrictions on reproductive health care in neighboring states, Illinois has already become a destination for some from neighboring states who are seeking abortion care. One in five abortions in Illinois in 2020 were provided to people from out of state, according to records from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“We’re excited to have Gov. Pritzker here in New Hampshire so that Granite Staters can be reminded of what a strong governor looks like, something they haven’t seen in a while," said Monica Venzke, with the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "Unlike Gov. Sununu, who signed New Hampshire’s first modern abortion ban last year, Gov. Pritzker is fighting for reproductive health care.”

Sununu has defended the 24-week abortion ban he signed last year and told a podcast he has "done more on the pro-life issue, if you will, than anyone."

Pritzker, Mooney said, has taken on the mantle to become a leading pro-choice candidate. If Roe is overturned, he added, "that’s going to be very beneficial for (Pritzker) because he can come out and say, 'I’ve got these legitimate bona fides.'"

Pritzker's eastern swing, Edelstein said, begins with a stop in Washington, D.C. on Friday for a meeting with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Democratic National Committee officials about Chicago's bid to host the 2024 convention.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Gov. JB Pritzker's trip to New Hampshire stirs White House speculation