Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker accelerates abortion advocacy on eve of the election

CHICAGO — With a week until the Nov. 5 election, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a key Democratic surrogate and potential future presidential candidate, is making a last big push to help states attempting to advance their reproductive rights initiatives.

His nonprofit group, Think Big America — which has already invested millions of dollars in abortion-rights initiatives in four states — just expanded into four more states where questions are on the ballot: Maryland, South Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri, according to plans first shared with NBC News. In each case, the state has a ballot question about abortion rights.

The group previously donated seven figures separately in Arizona, Florida and Nevada, which all are attempting to codify abortion rights in their states. In the rest of the states, which also include Montana, the investments are in the six figures. Think Big would not provide more specifics about donation amounts; a recent filing in South Dakota revealed last week it gave $500,000.

Pritzker is on the road in battleground states campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as advocating to codify abortion rights in Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin and other states. Think Big has provided financial investment to the abortion-rights referendum efforts, as well as communications, political and research support. 

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's nonprofit group is helping fund pro-abortion-rights ballot measures around the country.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images file

Nationally, Democrats have pointed to the initiatives as a way to help drive voter turnout, and in deep-red Missouri, the proposed constitutional amendment would dismantle the current state law, which all but bans abortion. 

“We’ve been sitting on the executive committee of most of these things since day one down the stretch,” said Mike Ollen, a senior political adviser to Pritzker. “We’ve been talking to folks the whole time, in places like Missouri and Nebraska, where things are really tight — but we do have a real chance to codify abortion rights into state constitutions. We’re also coming in as sort of a closer to help out with whatever they need.”

Pritzker, who is a co-chair on Harris’ campaign, was among a short list of politicians vetted to be her running mate, a job that ultimately went to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

If Harris is unsuccessful in her White House bid next week, it would open the floodgates for potential 2028 Democratic contenders. Pritzker, a billionaire with an existing political organization who was elected twice as governor of Illinois and has traveled the country advocating for abortion rights and Democratic candidates, would be well-positioned to quickly launch a presidential bid. He also raised his national profile in August when Chicago hosted a Democratic National Convention roundly praised as successful. 

“It’s flattering to some extent, when he’s on the VP shortlist. It says that the actions that he’s taken as governor are indicative of the fact that people think that he was good at the job, is pursuing policies the American people want and is well-qualified to serve at a higher level,” Ollen said.

“That said, we fully expect the vice president’s going to win this election," he continued. "We think we have a lot of that kind of leadership in Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and we’re fully ready to get back on the trail and stuff for their re-election in 2028.”