BLOOMINGTON – Chicago billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker has received the backing of one of the state’s most senior Democratic officeholders – Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.

The 83-year-old White told WJBC’s Sam Wood that Pritzker is the best choice among a crowded Democratic field seeking to unseat incumbent Republican Governor Bruce Rauner.

White said Pritzker believes in the art of compromise.

“[Pritzker] will go with the best idea,” White said. “Sometimes, people will have their thoughts or ideas about a particular matter and he will have his…but he’ll sit down, take the best idea and go with it.”

As for White’s political future, he’s running again after initially announcing his retirement.

He said people stopped him on the street, at church, sent him e-mails, and called him on the phone pleading with him not to retire.

“I spent some time rethinking it and I spent a lot of sleepless nights and days pulling out what few hairs I have left on my head to try and arrive at what I was going to do,” he said. “Last week, I decided I would run for reelection.”

White is seeking a sixth term to run what he says is the nation’s largest secretary of state office.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]