What to Expect from Pritzker's Second Inaugural
Governor JB Pritzker takes the oath of office in 2019. He will be sworn in to a second term this afternoon in Springfield.
Since winning re-election on November 8, Governor JB Pritzker has offered little in terms of his plans for a second term.
After announcing his campaign for a second term in July of 2021, Pritzker laid out vague plans for programs like free college for families under the poverty level, free child care, and universal preschool, but said almost nothing about the ideas during the closing months of the campaign. He has since floated the ideas a couple of times after the election.
With a staggering 78 Democrats in the House and a remaining Senate supermajority, Pritzker has almost unchecked power to enact an agenda of his choice.
“I think you’re going to see a lofty goal of progressive ideals,” said one high level Democrat. “Governor Pritzker has the ability to make this state the most progressive in the nation, and I think you’ll see that’s his goal.”
When Pritzker won re-election, his victory speech focused on many lofty national themes, especially against former President Donald Trump. It’s possible Pritzker continues to dance around the possibility of a 2024 presidential campaign. Pritzker has said he won’t challenge President Joe Biden in a primary, but Biden has not formally announced a run for re-election.
It’s also likely Pritzker talks about the state’s financial situation, which has improved thanks to higher-than-anticipated revenue and billions of dollars in federal COVID aid.
“That’s something that requires tending every year,” Pritzker told the Chicago Tribune late last month. “It’s not easy in Illinois because there have been structural challenges.”
While Democrats will celebrate their continued full control of state government, both chambers of the legislature, every constitutional office, and an expanded Supreme Court majorities, Republicans we spoke to fear four years of being railroaded by the Democratic majority.
“I hope we see a grown up that realizes state government doesn’t have the money to be everything to everyone,” said one legislative Republican. “I can’t say I’m hopeful.”
Pritzker is expected to take the oath of office shortly after noon today.
