On October 23, 2025, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker made a calculated move to appeal to Republican voters by appearing on Fox News with the highly professional host Bret Baier. Baier conducted a balanced yet pointed interview, pressing Pritzker on key issues without crossing into partisan territory. He provided sharp follow-up questions and gave Pritzker enough room to let his own words do the damage.

Brett Baier: "But do you believe any illegal immigrant charged with or convicted of a felony should be deported?"
JB Pritzker: "I think they ought to take the violent criminals and get them out of my state and out of the country. (2)"

But what about the nonviolent offenders and the rampant property crimes plaguing Illinois? Pritzker’s answer fell flat and is unlikely to win over conservatives unfamiliar with his record of mismanagement.

Baier then pressed Pritzker on the practical realities of immigration enforcement, citing ICE agents attempting to detain and deport illegal immigrants in Chicago and across Illinois. Pritzker claimed he would welcome help, but objected to deploying National Guardsmen who “have no law enforcement training,” even accusing President Trump of “invading blue cities and states” to influence the next election (2).

When Baier presented a case of two South American men committing crimes and being released back into the Chicago community, Pritzker deflected blame onto the judge, arguing that American citizens are often released under similar circumstances. It was a stunning miscalculation: most reasonable people recognize the fundamental difference between a citizen with a right to reside in the country and an illegal immigrant who does not (2).

Baier also pressed Pritzker on Illinois’ economic decline, noting the state’s crushing tax burden: the highest property tax rate in the nation, the second-highest gasoline tax, and the third-highest corporate tax. Pritzker’s defense was unconvincing:

“Let me say this. When I took office from a Republican governor, everything was going in the wrong direction … When I took office, we had to address all of these things. We are going in the right direction. Indeed, we have attracted more businesses to the state of Illinois; we have more people employed in the state of Illinois than ever before. Things are going in the right direction. (2)”

However, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tells a different story. Illinois ranks as the fourth-worst state in job growth, adding only 15,500 jobs since Pritzker took office in January 2019 (3). CNBC ranks Illinois 38th in business friendliness and 44th in overall economic performance (4). The question remains: how does Pritzker think he can get away with such a narrative?

After the interview, Baier hosted a panel discussion featuring three commentators, including conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. Hewitt’s assessment was blunt:

“Governor Pritzker is running. He’s not running very well … Because nothing he says makes any sense. You present him statements and he contradicts himself … He’s playing the far-left wing of his party, though he denied it to you … He can only win in IL with a billionaire’s money. (5)”

Hewitt’s point underscores a broader truth: Pritzker’s dominance in Illinois politics stems not from skill or vision, but from his inherited wealth, which bankrolls the entire Democratic apparatus in the state. Hewitt continued:

“There’s a reason people are leaving Illinois and it’s not just the taxes. One fact he can’t argue with IL is going to lose 2 congressional seats in the next census. They are going to go from 17 to 15 because people are fleeing Illinois because of taxes, crimes, and that fact that there is violence around every corner.”

He’s right. The political implications of the 2030 Census are enormous: Democrat-controlled states like Illinois are poised to lose significant congressional representation, while Republican-led states will gain. That demographic shift could cement Republican control of Congress and the White House for a generation.

Mark Halperin also weighed in on 2Way’s Morning Meeting, naming Pritzker his “loser of the week”:

“It confirmed everything I think about his skill set. I just don’t understand why people are taking him seriously as a presidential candidate except that he’s a billionaire. He did nothing to help himself in that interview. He was totally on defense, sputtering, vague, he said a bunch of things that when they are fact checkedly proven wrong … I just don’t get why, with his record and communication skills, why he is considered a serious candidate. (5)”

Conservatives across Illinois couldn’t agree more. No one can quite explain why anyone takes this governor seriously—other than his money. As for the rest of us, we’re counting down the days until Ted Dabrowski, Darren Bailey, Sheriff Mendrick, or any of the Republican candidates finally send JB packing in the next election.