Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville is floating Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker as what he calls the Democratic Party’s strongest potential standard-bearer in the 2028 presidential race.

In remarks this week on Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo’s “Arroyo Grande” podcast, Carville — the architect of Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential victory — said Pritzker stands out among a field he expects to be crowded once President Donald Trump leaves office at the end of his second term.

“If I had to say one guy … I’d take JB Pritzker,” Carville said when asked who he could see carrying the Democratic banner in 2028.

Carville praised Pritzker as a dogged campaigner and pointed to his role as one of the party’s loudest critics of Trump, as well as his efforts to “Trump-proof” Illinois through legislation and executive actions. 

The governor has long brushed off direct questions about a White House run. Still, his profile on the national stage and his frequent appearances at Democratic fundraisers and political gatherings have kept him on shortlists of potential contenders.

Carville’s comments come as Democrats continue to wrestle with how to rebuild after their 2024 loss to Trump, a defeat that has intensified internal debates over leadership, message and electability heading into the next cycle.