Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is wading into the congressional campaign fight by forming a new political action committee aimed at bolstering Democratic House candidates’ midterm success.
As chairman of the Ready for the Fight PAC — a nod to a phrase Mr. Pritzker has used — the two-term governor is boosting his name ID ahead of a possible run for president in 2028.
“These days, it seems like the pundits and the naysayers want to stay in an endless loop of debate about the future of the Democratic Party to draw false and rigid divisions and paint a picture of fractured coalitions,” Mr. Pritzker said in the PAC’s YouTube video. “If there’s a divide in the national Democratic Party that exists, it’s the one between team fight and team cave. And you know what team I’m on? Team fight. So, I’ve got one question for you: Are you ready for the fight?”
The PAC, first reported by Politico, plans to invest at least $20 million for Democratic House candidates, focusing on what Mr. Pritzker says are overlooked races.
Two prominent GOP targets running in red districts are Rep. Max Miller of Ohio, who is facing domestic abuse allegations, and Brandon Herrera of Texas, a YouTuber known as “The AK Guy.” The PAC plans to reserve airtime against both, as Mr. Pritzker believes they’re vulnerable to what he sees as a favorable political landscape for the Democratic Party.
“Democrats must think big and take the fight to every corner to support candidates in often-overlooked races,” he said in a statement.
Democrats need to flip only a handful of seats to reclaim the House majority this cycle. Analysts have put the number as low as three, a margin that makes even long-shot pickups like Ohio’s 7th District, where Mr. Miller is running, and Texas’ 23rd District, with Mr. Herrera in the hunt, strategically meaningful rather than symbolic.
Mr. Pritzker joins several other prominent Democratic governors who have launched national PACs to boost candidates. Other state leaders doing so are Gavin Newsom of California’s Campaign for Democracy PAC, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan’s Fight Like Hell PAC and Andy Beshear of Kentucky’s In This Together PAC.
Mr. Pritzker has sharply increased his national media appearances and frequent verbal clashes with the Trump administration.
The Illinois governor recently wrapped up a statewide tour for his own third-term run and is heavily favored to win in November.
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