JB Pritzker Is Looking Like a 2028 Frontrunner, but How Did He Make His Money?

Governor of Illinois JB Pritzker is getting aggressive and filling a political vacuum. The billionaire is traveling around the country and giving many in the Democratic Party the fighter they say they are looking for. As he emerges as a potential frontrunner for 2028, many want to learn more about the governor, and in particular, where all of his money comes from.

While it's true that both parties have their fair share of billionaires, Pritzker has intentionally drawn a contrast with Donald Trump, sometimes describing himself as a "real billionaire." Here's what we know about where he got his money.

Before becoming the governor of Illinois, Pritzker ran Pritzker Group alongside his brother Anthony. Pritzker Group is a private equity firm that invests in middle-market businesses.

Most of Pritzker's money is inherited, though, although he has been able to build on the family fortune. His father, Donald, and his uncle Jay founded Hyatt Hotels in the 1950s, which became public in 1962 before being taken private again and then going public again in 2009, per Yahoo! Finance.

The family also owned a major stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises and invested in the Marmon Group, which eventually became Berkshire Hathaway. They also owned Ticketmaster at one point, but eventually sold that company to Microsoft founder Paul Allen.

The Pritzker Group works in private equity and has made investments in a number of private firms. Pritzker has also invested in Chicago real estate, which further inflated his net worth.

Pritzker's net worth is estimated to be $3.5 billion, which makes him incredibly wealthy, even if he is not one of the world's richest men. When he took office in 2019, Pritzker vowed to divest his investment portfolio of any companies that are doing business with the state of Illinois to avoid any appearance of corruption. His funds are also managed by a blind trust, which means that he does not have access to them while he is in office.

Although he hasn't committed to running for president yet, all indications suggest that he is very much planning on it. Pritzker is currently touring the country and recently spoke in the early primary state of New Hampshire, suggesting that Democrats wanted a fighter to take on the Trump administration. There's a long way to go before 2028, but Pritzker is looking like an early frontrunner for the nomination.