IL-SEN: This makes me want to bang my head against the wall.

[RandySF]

Congressional Black Caucus members, after a stinging loss in the Illinois Democratic Senate primary, are training their ire on Gov. JB Pritzker — and saying it’s on him to rehabilitate the relationship.

After Pritzker’s outsized financial support for Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton helped lift her to victory, lawmakers vented frustrations that his money unfairly tilted the race in her favor and away from their candidate, Rep. Robin Kelly, a CBC member who finished a distant third. And as Pritzker eyes a 2028 presidential bid, some members, cognizant that the path to winning the Democratic Party’s nomination will run through the caucus, signaled they won’t forget that he crossed them this round.

“He has to justify what he did,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). “I’m sure at some point if he decides to run, he’ll have to come with that justification. As to whether or not it has merit or not, remains to be seen.”

Pritzker’s money helped put Stratton on the path to becoming just the sixth Black senator in U.S. history. But by boxing out Kelly, he frayed his relationship with the caucus, which holds significant sway over which candidates break through with Black voters — a large and powerful voting bloc the billionaire governor will need if he chooses to run for the White House.


https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/19/pritzker-2028-congressional-black-caucus-tensions-00835266?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. JFC on a stick

I can't even.

[RandySF]

2. Right?

"You support your candidate, I'll support mine". It's not like either had a deadly flaw.

[The Polack MSgt]

3. I never saw any ads for Rep. Kelly, the CBC's preferred candidate, & I really didn't see many ads for Lt Gov Stratton

Last edited Thu Mar 19, 2026, 10:49 AM - Edit history (1)

Until the final 2 weeks of the primary.

I live downstate, the St Louis TV market, in rural corn and soybean country. Around here, it was non-stop Rajah ads since Thanksgiving. To the point that I got suspicious of his finances.

I don't think the National media or the CBC realizes how powerful JB's recommendation is to Illinois Democrats. I voted for Ms. Stratton because JB endorsed her, not because of a couple weeks of TV and Youtube commercials.

A Governor endorsing and financially backing his Lt Governor is not a surprising turn of events.

JB has no reason to make amends

The CBC should've been spending for their candidate, IMHO

I don't like this shady, king maker, back room deal making vibe of this article.

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. I saw lots of commercials for Stratton in Chicago.

Probably an equal amount for Raja, but very few for Robin Kelly.

[The Polack MSgt]

5. I guess it makes sense to focus limited revenue on the bigger audience

And that's the Chicago area, obviously.

I can't recall ever seeing or hearing an ad for Rep. Kelly

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. Agreed.

I saw maybe two commercials for Darren Bailey, so obviously they weren't targeting the Chicago area.

[The Polack MSgt]

7. I saw way more Don Tracy for Senate and Darren Bailey for Governor ads down here

Than you all probably had to endure up in Chicagoland.

MAGA loves to preach to the choir and rile up the slack jawed true believers. They can't seem to help it.

I'm just waiting on the landlides for Dems now.

[greatauntoftriplets]

11. I can't recall ever seeing a Don Tracy ad.

When I saw his name in the results Tuesday, it was not familiar. I agree that Stratton and Pritzker will win by a lot, despite MAGA's efforts.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

8. I only saw like 10,000 ads for Raj on YouTube

[The Polack MSgt]

9. And they were all the high dollar un-skipable version too

I think it backfired for him.

[redstatebluegirl]

10. Here in central Illinois Raja ads were nonstop

beginning when we moved here in late August. He did not carry our county.