Chicago Businessman J.B. Pritzker Enters Illinois Gubernatorial Race

Billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker has launched a bid for Illinois governor at a park facility in Chicago.

The Democrat's entry into the race raises financial stakes in what was already expected to be a costly and competitive fight to unseat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. 

Pritzker wasted little time in blasting the venture capitalist-turned-governor, even comparing him to President Donald Trump. Rauner has been at odds with the Democrat-controlled Legislature since he took office.

Pritzker's entry means there are at least three candidates in the race who have enormous personal wealth. Chris Kennedy, nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy, already said he's seeking the Democratic nomination. The ability of all three men to self-fund a campaign likely means record-shattering spending.

Pritzker is an investor and philanthropist whose candidacy would raise the financial stakes in what's already expected to be an expensive race to unseat Republican Governor Bruce Rauner.

His website also directs to a splash page with html that reads "/soon/" and a page that simply says: #JBFORGOV.