JB Pritzker

Jay Robert Pritzker (born January 19, 1965) is an American politician, philanthropist, and businessman serving since 2019 as the 43rd governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

A descendant of the Ukrainian Jewish Pritzker family, which owns the Hyatt hotel chain, Pritzker helped create several Chicago-based venture capital and investment startups. He was also active in Democratic politics decades before serving in elective office. After an unsuccessful 1998 bid for Illinois's 9th congressional district, Pritzker became a major financial supporter of Democratic candidates and served as a national co-chair of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. According to Forbes, as of August 2025, his estimated net worth is $3.9 billion. This makes him the second-wealthiest U.S. elected official, behind only President Donald Trump.

Pritzker won a crowded Democratic primary for governor of Illinois in the 2018 election and defeated Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner in the general election. He was reelected in 2022, defeating Darren Bailey. A progressive Democrat, he has legalized recreational cannabis, raised the minimum wage, expanded abortion access, and sought to implement income tax reforms. During his second term, Pritzker has become a prominent critic of the second Trump administration.