Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has cast doubt on Rahm Emanuel’s emerging strategy for a potential 2028 Democratic presidential bid, warning that aiming for the center alone could backfire.
In an interview with Politico’s Jonathan Martin published Tuesday, Pritzker described Emanuel as a longtime friend and a dedicated public servant. “He’s done a whole lot of positive things,” Pritzker said. “He believes himself to be a public servant, and he’s been doing it most of his life. I understand why he wants to run for president. So I applaud that.”
Emanuel, who served as a top aide to Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, represented Illinois in Congress from 2003 to 2009, was Chicago’s mayor, and later served as U.S. ambassador to Japan under President Joe Biden, has been quietly laying groundwork for a White House run. He has traveled to early-primary states like New Hampshire and South Carolina, sat for numerous media and podcast interviews, and released policy proposals focused on education and technology.
On Monday, Emanuel announced a five-day bike tour of New Hampshire set for June 5-8. In a social media video, he said he looks “forward to hearing from you, seeing you along the route, enjoying different diners, different bed and breakfasts, but also, most importantly, listening, hearing and seeing the beautiful state.”
Emanuel has also taken aim at the left flank of the party, arguing on the “Fifth Column” podcast in March that Democrats “went from acceptance to advocacy” on cultural issues. Pritzker acknowledged that Emanuel is “trying to pick a lane and decide whether he’s going to run.”
But Pritzker, himself a possible 2028 contender, pushed back against the notion of targeting one faction. “I’m not a big believer in going after one piece of the party or another piece of the party,” he said. “Democrats have made mistakes. There’s no doubt about it, and I think it’s OK to call out mistakes.”
The governor noted that Illinois has produced three U.S. presidents—Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, and Barack Obama—and said he hopes Emanuel, if elected, would be counted among them. But the subtle critique underscores the early jockeying among potential Democratic candidates as the party seeks a path back to the White House.
Pritzker’s comments come amid broader Democratic soul-searching after recent electoral setbacks. Pritzker has vowed to fight against the Supreme Court’s narrowing of the Voting Rights Act, a stance that contrasts with Emanuel’s more centrist positioning.
Emanuel’s team has not responded to Pritzker’s remarks. The former mayor is expected to continue his early-state outreach through the summer.
