By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – One of the first things Gov. JB Pritzker did after defeating a nominal opponent in Tuesday’s primary was to sit for two days of interviews with statehouse reporters.
He told WJBC’s Dave Dahl that “anti-corruption” Aurora mayor Richard Irvin turned out to be corrupt himself, and that Republican primary winner State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) is “the most extreme candidate came through that primary … Darren Bailey is just off the rails!” calling him “a Trumpy, MAGA Republican” who does not fit into a state which soundly went for Democrats in 2016 and 2020.
Pritzker did not address the question of a preferred opponent, capping a primary season in which he and the Democratic Governors’ Association were accused of using advertising to manipulate Bailey ahead of Irvin.
Pritzker said he would call a special session this month to bolster abortion protections in pro-choice Illinois in light of last week’s U.S. Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade. He said expanding “capacity” and making it easier for people to come from out of state to terminate pregnancies here would be the priority – but that the special session would only take a day or two, adding that abortion will not dominate the 2023 spring legislative session.
Pritzker said if elected, he would serve a four-year term. He previously has sidestepped questions about any aspirations beyond the office of governor.
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]
