With the Democratic Party looking to chart a new course following the 2024 presidential election loss, several signs point to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker trying to fill a leadership void.

The governor has been a very vocal opponent of President Donald Trump in interviews and on social media, doubling down on a progressive posture that has led to two terms in Springfield.

“I think Pritzker would love to run for president,” said NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern on a recent episode of "The Takeaway with Alex" Podcast.

Ahern points to early clues, such as increased interviews with national outlets, where the governor has talked about issues that go beyond Illinois.

“You can see by this expose of interviews from The View to CNN to whomever asks him on a national stage, many more than we’ve seen in the past,” said Ahern, who has covered Illinois politics for 35 years. “That really gives us the clue [that] he wants this a lot.”

Ahern said since Trump’s second inauguration, Pritzker’s tone toward Trump has turned more aggressive. An affable and careful initial approach to politics has given way to a more fiery style, according to Ahern.

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“J.B. Pritzker sees the opening and he’s going right for it,” said Ahern.

Pritzker, who is Jewish and helped found the Illinois Holocaust Museum, invoked Nazi Germany in his 2025 State of the State address, saying “the authoritarian playbook is laid bare here.”

Pritzker will be up for re-election as governor in 2026. He has not formally declared an intention to run for re-election, nor has he announced a run for president in 2028. He has largely bankrolled his own gubernatorial campaigns to date, and is considered to be the wealthiest elected official in America. Forbes estimates his net worth at $3.7 billion.

“He’s got a big decision to make,” said Ahern, who also hosts "The Brief" on the NBC Chicago YouTube page. “Does he run for that third term and also run for president while you’re the governor, or do you say, ‘OK that wouldn’t really be fair to be the governor and be really focused [somewhere else]?”

Ahern said that if Pritzker chooses to run for president, he will need to chart a political course that pleases the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party. Most importantly, he will need to focus on issues that resonate with voters.

“It is a difficult dance of figuring out ‘What are my issues?’” said Ahern. “He thought abortion was the issue and he funded that all across various states. While it was an issue, it wasn’t the issue.”

Watch the full episode in the player below.