Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives $1 million to Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign after backing rival for secretary of state

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has contributed $1 million to the campaign of Democratic secretary of state candidate Alexi Giannoulias even though Pritzker just four months ago backed Giannoulias’ opponent in the primary.

The contribution from Pritzker’s campaign, reported Thursday amid a flurry of roughly $10 million in contributions from the billionaire governor in recent days to Democratic candidates and organizations throughout Illinois, marks the first time Pritzker has contributed to any campaign run by Giannoulias, the former state treasurer who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2010.

The governor’s largesse comes with early voting getting underway in some parts of the state and as Republican candidates relentlessly hammer their Democratic rivals on crime and an overhaul of the state’s criminal justice system that includes ending cash bail on Jan. 1.

Pritzker, who in June contributed $55,000 to Chicago City Clerk Anna Valenica’s campaign for the party’s secretary of state nomination, “always said he would support the Democratic nominee, even if it wasn’t Valencia,” spokeswoman Natalie Edelstein said. Giannoulias handily defeated Valencia in the June 28 primary.

[ Democrat Alexi Giannoulias will face Republican Dan Brady for secretary of state ]

The governor “does not take the threat of Republican extremism lightly and is committed to supporting candidates who will fight for our shared Democratic values at every level of government,” Edelstein said in a statement.

Along with Pritzker’s $1 million, the Giannoulias campaign on Thursday reported $769,000 in additional contributions from labor unions, auto dealers and other supporters. That’s on top of more than $1.3 million in large-dollar contributions that campaign had previously reported since July 1.

Giannoulias spent more than $5.2 million in the first half of the year to win the primary and came into the general election campaign with more than $773,000 cash on hand in his campaign fund, state campaign finance records show.

“We appreciate having the broad-based support of Democrats across the state — from the governor at the top of the ticket on down to the legislative and county office,” campaign manager Hanah Jubeh said in a statement.

Giannoulias faces longtime Republican state Rep. Dan Brady of Bloomington in the Nov. 8 election. Brady on Thursday touted endorsements from former GOP Gov. Jim Edgar and organizations including the Illinois Education Association, one of the state’s largest teachers unions, which is backing Pritzker and the Democratic nominees for other statewide offices.

Brady entered July with less than $6,000 in his campaign fund after spending more than $514,000 in the first half of the year. Since the general election campaign got underway, Brady has reported raising nearly $165,000 in large-dollar contributions.

At an endorsement event Thursday in Springfield, Edgar said Brady’s ability to work across the aisle could serve him well, and that out of all the GOP candidates for the constitutional offices, Brady might have the best shot of winning.

But Edgar acknowledged Brady’s financial disadvantage to Giannoulias, especially in light of Pritzker’s contribution.

“We don’t have people handing out that kind of money in the Republican Party,” Edgar said. “For the party of the rich, we sure don’t show it sometimes. And the party of the Democrats, who are supposed to be the working man, they seem to have all the money.”

[ GOP candidate Thomas DeVore’s campaign loan lifts contribution limits in Illinois attorney general race ]

Pritzker’s campaign this week also gave $1 million to Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s reelection effort. It is the governor’s first contribution to Raoul this election after Pritzker backed Raoul with nearly $3 million in 2018. Raoul is facing Republican Thomas DeVore, a downstate attorney known for his largely unsuccessful legal challenges to Pritzker’s pandemic restrictions.

DeVore opened the door for Pritzker’s contribution to Raoul by lending his own campaign $250,001 last month, a move that lifted contribution limits for both candidates.

The GOP nominee has attacked Raoul for being too closely aligned with Pritzker, a claim he repeated in a Facebook post Wednesday after Raoul’s campaign reported the contribution.

“I’ve told all of you that Raoul is Pritzker’s lap dog,” DeVore wrote. “Make sure your friends see that Pritzker just gave Raoul $1M bucks. Oh Jay Bob!!! He’s getting scared!!!!!”

Raoul dismissed such criticism, saying in a statement, “No contribution has or will ever impact my independence.”

“Gov. Pritzker has shown great leadership the last four years, and through our many times working together, he has always respected my independence,” Raoul said. “I appreciate his support for my work and that of my fellow Democrats in Illinois and across the country.”

As Democrats seek to maintain their 4-3 advantage on the Illinois Supreme Court, Pritzker also is giving $500,000 each to the two Democratic candidates for open seats on the high court, 3rd District Appellate Judge Mary K. O’Brien and Lake County Circuit Judge Liz Rochford. That’s the maximum contribution to a judicial candidate from a single source under a measure Pritzker signed into law earlier this year.

Pritzker also is doling out cash for the campaign operations of Democratic lawmakers in the state legislature.

The House Democrats, led by Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside, on Wednesday reported a $3 million contribution from Pritzker’s campaign fund, on top of previous contributions totaling $5 million.

Pritzker last month gave $1 million to the Senate Democrats, led by Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park.

The governor’s campaign said he intends to give Senate Democrats another $1 million but is seeking assurances that none of the money will go to support embattled Democratic state Sen. Michael Hastings of Frankfort.

Pritzker last week called for Hastings’ resignation due to ongoing questions about his treatment of women. The governor also called for the resignation of Sen. Emil Jones III, who pleaded not guilty last week to federal bribery charges, but Jones has no opponent on the November ballot.

Harmon, who asked for and received Hastings’ and Jones’ resignations from positions on his leadership team, has not called for them to resign their Senate seats.

A spokesman for the Senate Democrats’ campaign operation on Thursday reiterated that the caucus is not supporting Hastings’ reelection bid against Republican Patrick Sheehan of Lockport.

Pritzker so far has personally donated $125 million from his vast fortune to his campaign fund for his reelection bid. Through June 30, he spent $62 million while facing a nominal opponent in the Democratic primary.

Federal tax records show he gave another $24 million to the Democratic Governors Association, which ran ads during the primary campaign aimed at boosting his preferred opponent, Trump-endorsed Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia.

Chicago Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner contributed from Springfield.

dpetrella@chicagotribune.com