Gov. JB Pritzker and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel may be gearing up for a 2028 White House bid. If both run, they would be jumping into a contest that will be congested and fraught with peril.

They would also be very, very, long, long shots.

According to the Kalshi prediction market, which assesses the odds on everything in the world, both candidates’ chances to grab the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination are at 2% or less.  

Long shots, indeed, but if they can get traction, the pair brings a keen contrast in style, politics and resources.   

Pritzker is a billionaire with a near-endless stream of cash to self-fund a campaign, and he is not shy about funding allies to stand with him in a 2028 run. 

Note just his recent largesse: Pritzker gave $1.56 million to state and local races in Illinois from Jan. 13, 2025, to March 17, 2026, according to an analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute. And the governor contributed $12.3 million to national, out-of-state political committees from April 2025 through March 2026.

There’s plenty more where that came from.

Emanuel’s closest ally is his brother Ari, the Hollywood mega agent and CEO of the WME Group, a massive entertainment and media agency. Ari Emanuel’s clients comprise a top-tier list of boldface names and influencers. His scores of connections offer Rahm a gold-plated megaphone.

In style, Emanuel is abrasive,........

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