Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has downplayed the choice of Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate amid speculation that he is a front-runner for the job.
“We've seen over the last several decades that the choice of vice president doesn't determine whether you're going to win a state or not,” the Democratic governor said during an appearance on ABC's “This Week” on Sunday. “What it does determine is whether you've got the right message across the board.”
The comments come at a time when Pritzker is believed to be one of the candidates in the running to join Harris on the Democratic ticket, though an NBC news report last week indicated the field had been narrowed to Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
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Illinois Governor JB Pritzker attends the Clinton Global Initiative meeting on September 19, 2023, in New York City. (John Nacion/WireImage)
However, some reports had speculated that the Illinois governor was at least under consideration by Harris' campaign and had been sent research materials, something Pritzker declined to comment on during his Sunday interview.
“I'm not going to talk about that. I'm going to talk about what I think is important in this campaign, which is winning, defeating Donald Trump,” Prtizker told “This Week.”
Regarding former President Trump's election loss, Pritzker argued that “the electorate is energized” since Harris launched her campaign.
Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at a campaign event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tuesday, July 23, 2024. (Daniel Steinle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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“Democrats are ready to act… I think her message resonates with people,” Pritzker said of Harris, who officially replaced President Biden as head of the ticket last week.
The Illinois governor also cited Harris' experience as a prosecutor, arguing that her expertise will resonate against Trump, who has been battling multiple legal issues since leaving office.
Gov. JB Pritzker argued that “the electorate is energized” since Vice President Harris launched her campaign. (John Nacion/WireImage/Getty Images)
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“She's someone who understands that bringing the case is the way to win… every day prosecuting the case, especially against a 34-time convicted felon and, frankly, a congenital liar,” Pritzker said.
Harris' campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
