Gov. J.B. Pritzker endorses Kamala Harris as Democratic nominee for president

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee for president a day after President Joe Biden bowed to pressure from within the party and dropped his reelection bid.

“Vice President Harris has proven, at every point in her career, that she possesses the skills, strength, and character to lead this country and the vision to better the lives of all Americans,” Pritzker said in a statement from his campaign. “From protecting women’s rights to defending American workers and strengthening the middle class, Vice President Harris is a champion of the American values we hold dear. She represents our Party’s best chance to defeat Donald Trump in November, and I will work my heart out to help her do that.”

Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, had been mentioned as a potential candidate to replace Biden, and he would be one of the few candidates who would have the financial resources to self-fund a campaign. His statement, which noted he spoke to Harris, did not address whether he would seek to join her on the ticket as the vice presidential nominee.

Noting his support for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both times she sought the presidency, including when she ran against Illinois favorite son Barack Obama, Pritzker said, “It’s past time we shatter that highest and hardest of glass ceilings and finally elect a woman as President of the United States.”

Pritzker’s endorsement comes exactly four weeks before he serves as de facto host for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The Democratic National Committee’s rules committee is set to meet Wednesday to determine the path forward for choosing a new person to top the ticket.

Joining Pritzker in endorsing Harris was Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, the first African American woman to hold that office in Illinois. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Illinois’ senior senator and the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, also came out behind Harris on Monday, as did the Democratic Party of Illinois.

“The Democratic Party of Illinois is fully committed to mobilizing our communities in support of Kamala Harris,” state Rep. Lisa Hernandez, the party’s chair, said in a statement.

More to come.