Governor J.B. Pritzker

Yeah, but that wasn't a campaign message. I mean, that is my personal belief. I helped to build a Holocaust museum. I'm Jewish. I've been fighting anti-Semitism, well, it seems like my whole life now. And so I really felt compelled to talk about what's happening in the country broadly. It wasn't, you know, about what I think the message for 2026 ought to be or 2028.

And that's why I really think we ought to be focused. If you want to talk messaging, it needs to be around the challenges that people are facing every single day. Going to the grocery store and can't afford eggs or tomatoes or avocados or anything else that you're looking to buy, knowing that you want to go buy a car and now prices are going up.

And that's why I really think we ought to be focused. If you want to talk messaging, it needs to be around the challenges that people are facing every single day. Going to the grocery store and can't afford eggs or tomatoes or avocados or anything else that you're looking to buy, knowing that you want to go buy a car and now prices are going up.

And that's why I really think we ought to be focused. If you want to talk messaging, it needs to be around the challenges that people are facing every single day. Going to the grocery store and can't afford eggs or tomatoes or avocados or anything else that you're looking to buy, knowing that you want to go buy a car and now prices are going up.

And by the way, they promised that they were going to lower prices on day one.

And by the way, they promised that they were going to lower prices on day one.

And by the way, they promised that they were going to lower prices on day one.

That's what they said. I don't know how they intended to get that done on day one, but that's what they said they would do. We're on day 39 now and prices have only gone up, not down. And and they're making it worse with the tariffs, which, again, are taxes on middle class Americans and working class Americans. So so I think that's the message. If you want to talk about what matters to people.

That's what they said. I don't know how they intended to get that done on day one, but that's what they said they would do. We're on day 39 now and prices have only gone up, not down. And and they're making it worse with the tariffs, which, again, are taxes on middle class Americans and working class Americans. So so I think that's the message. If you want to talk about what matters to people.

That's what they said. I don't know how they intended to get that done on day one, but that's what they said they would do. We're on day 39 now and prices have only gone up, not down. And and they're making it worse with the tariffs, which, again, are taxes on middle class Americans and working class Americans. So so I think that's the message. If you want to talk about what matters to people.

It's their daily lives. You know, can I send my kid to college affordably? Can I save for retirement? Is there a way to get a better wage and a better job? That's another one. Let's talk wages. You know, you want a stark contrast between the two parties. We Democrats, we think $7.25 as a minimum wage and $14,000 a year, that's what that yields, isn't enough to live on.

It's their daily lives. You know, can I send my kid to college affordably? Can I save for retirement? Is there a way to get a better wage and a better job? That's another one. Let's talk wages. You know, you want a stark contrast between the two parties. We Democrats, we think $7.25 as a minimum wage and $14,000 a year, that's what that yields, isn't enough to live on.

It's their daily lives. You know, can I send my kid to college affordably? Can I save for retirement? Is there a way to get a better wage and a better job? That's another one. Let's talk wages. You know, you want a stark contrast between the two parties. We Democrats, we think $7.25 as a minimum wage and $14,000 a year, that's what that yields, isn't enough to live on.

And we're for raising the minimum wage. Republicans, they're either okay with a $7.25 minimum wage or some of them want to do away with a minimum wage altogether. I'd like to fight that fight in 2026. I think that ought to be a central focus of at least one part of the economic message. So that's what I think we ought to be talking about.

And we're for raising the minimum wage. Republicans, they're either okay with a $7.25 minimum wage or some of them want to do away with a minimum wage altogether. I'd like to fight that fight in 2026. I think that ought to be a central focus of at least one part of the economic message. So that's what I think we ought to be talking about.

And we're for raising the minimum wage. Republicans, they're either okay with a $7.25 minimum wage or some of them want to do away with a minimum wage altogether. I'd like to fight that fight in 2026. I think that ought to be a central focus of at least one part of the economic message. So that's what I think we ought to be talking about.

Meanwhile, as you know, you know, I do think that many of us need to, as leaders, remind people that the institutions of government are why you're able to get the things that matter to you. And when they get torn down, in other words, if you care about health care, if you care about veteran services, if you care about being able to get a rise in the minimum wage.

Meanwhile, as you know, you know, I do think that many of us need to, as leaders, remind people that the institutions of government are why you're able to get the things that matter to you. And when they get torn down, in other words, if you care about health care, if you care about veteran services, if you care about being able to get a rise in the minimum wage.

Meanwhile, as you know, you know, I do think that many of us need to, as leaders, remind people that the institutions of government are why you're able to get the things that matter to you. And when they get torn down, in other words, if you care about health care, if you care about veteran services, if you care about being able to get a rise in the minimum wage.

You need a representative democracy that actually is representative. And you need to make sure that the courts are forcing the administration and the Congress and everybody else to follow the law. But if the administration ignores the courts, then, boy, we're all done for in this country. We're not going to have a democracy two or four years from now.