Political analysts think Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, could use President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Chicago as an opportunity to raise his national profile ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run, the Washington Examiner reported.
"If Pritzker's politically smart, he will use any sending of National Guard into Chicago to his advantage, pushing back, and using the media that [California Gov. Gavin] Newsom has," Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told the Examiner.
"It's not clear how well he will do because we haven't seen him perform in that way," he said.
"So far, Newsom has really captured the activist Democratic base with what he's doing. He's been very good on social media.
"He's been very good with his regular pronouncements. His redistricting initiative really catches the Democratic zeitgeist," Olsen said.
"So he has been really successful, and so the question is whether Pritzker can carve out a similar but separate space or whether it's just going to be viewed as more of the same."
Democrat strategist Kaivan Shroff told the news outlet that Pritzker's response to Trump has "definitely been a strong moment" for the Illinois governor.
"One main vulnerability for Newsom is that he is almost too out there on comms and messaging, but his actual policy actions and efforts seem to get less coverage, despite some real wins like the first-in-the-nation AI [artificial intelligence] safety bill he just signed."
Pritzker's advantage, he said, is that his arguments are backed by substance.
"He obviously led an effort to at least postpone Trump sending troops into Chicago, which seemed to at least work somewhat — we'll see how that develops — but there will certainly be a fight to be had in the courts as well," Shroff said.
"And he also comes across much more authentic than Newsom. Newsom's smile and charm seem very polished and forced.
"Pritzker has real charisma and presence, but it comes across more authentic and genuine. He doesn't seem like he is chasing down every camera and random YouTuber he can for an interview," he said.
"He is also a billionaire who can use that lens to draw major contrasts with Trump."
Political strategist Jeff Le said Pritzker may be able to show off his political prowess on the big stage.
"Gov. Pritzker has made efforts to position himself as a future national candidate through his remarks and challenges to the president," Le told the Examiner.
"While he also enjoys Democratic supermajorities in Springfield like Gov. Newsom in Sacramento, he has partnered with the state Legislature to push for constitutional amendments for worker and labor rights, as well as a minimum wage increase. Much of his rhetoric has focused on the working class, often to distance himself from his own wealth and emphasize his political values for the electorate."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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