President Joe Biden is stepping down and Vice President Kamala Harris is running in his place, but she needs a running mate.
Governor of Illinois JB Pritzker Pritzker was discussed as a possible successor to Biden, but Harris' Endorsement That speculation has changed. Pritzker is now in discussion for vice presidential consideration, hosting the Democratic National Convention in his hometown from Aug. 19-22. It will be held in Chicago.
Here are some things Pritzker and his fellow Illinoisans have learned in the six-plus years he's been in Illinois' top political office. Democrats say this is what's happening: Heir to the Hotel Empire He has fulfilled his only political mission before he may never step foot outside the presidency.
Pritzker will do for the nation what he has done for Illinois:
– record State spending: $53.1 billion That's $15 billion more than when Pritzker took office.
– country's Highest Total State and local tax burden.
— 2nd highest in the country Corporate Tax Rate, Property Tax and Gasoline tax.
– country's Third worst unemployment.
— Illinois Decade Population decline Because people move to states with lower taxes.
— Illinois becomes one of the last states to lift pandemic emergency orders, leaving Gov. Pritzker to govern without approval from the Legislature. 1,155 days.
– Spending $58 million from his own estate He failed to convince voters that another $3 billion in tax increases were necessary.
It's been a while since Democrats last took this position.
President Lyndon B. Johnson's unpopular escalation of the Vietnam War led him to Withdraw a bid He ran for reelection and supported Vice President Hubert Humphrey as his successor. 1968 Democratic National Convention Chicago has become a city notorious for division and violence.
But even more devastating for the party was Humphrey's loss to former Vice President Richard Nixon, whose vice presidential nominee Senator Edmund Muskie The Maine native's presidential hopes never came to fruition.
Pritzker isn't the only one vying for the vice presidential nomination. Michigan's governor. Gretchen WhitmerGovernor of California Gavin NewsomGovernor of Colorado Jared Polis Or perhaps one of the other candidates named by experts will emerge.
But even here, Pritzker has a home-town advantage: He has already established himself as a key figure in political events around the country and was scheduled to deliver a counter-Democrat message at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee before the assassination attempt on Trump halted his plans.
Pritzker Vs. Senator J.D. Vance The vice presidential debate will certainly be entertaining, pitting a billionaire with a short political career against a Marine Corps veteran and senator with a history of redneck books and movies.
Pritzker is certainly part of the anti-Trump movement, calling Trump a racist, homophobe and saying he emulates the Nazis.
But after an entertaining campaign, think about how if you pick Pritzker as your VP, you’re going to regret it the next day, especially if he becomes President Pritzker.Think bigFor Illinois, that meant big taxation and big government solutions.
But in an Illinois-centric world, Illinois might get a breather if Pritzker goes elsewhere with his big ideas, especially to a job that's “not even worth a warm splash of spit.”
Brad Weisenstein is editor-in-chief of the Illinois Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to protecting taxpayer interests.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
As an independent, nonpartisan news service, all content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation is available free of charge to any legitimate news publisher with a large readership. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and affiliation with the DCNF. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
