Aurora Mayor Strongly Considering Run For IL Governor: Reports

AURORA, IL — Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin is "strongly considering" a run for Illinois governor in the gubernatorial election next November, according to reports from WGN Wednesday.

If the Republican candidate declares, he could be up against several other GOP candidates challenging Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Pritzker, who was elected for his first term in 2018, announced his re-election bid in July. Current Republican candidates are state Sen. Darren Bailey, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf, and businessmen Gary Rabine and Jesse Sullivan.

Reports from both WGN and Crain's Chicago Business were swirling Wednesday saying billionaire Citadel founder Ken Griffin, one of Pritzker's biggest opponents, would back Irvin, endorsing him instead of the other declared GOP candidates. According to Crain's, Griffin is willing to donate $300 million to oppose Pritzker's re-election campaign.

Griffin would be "all in to support the candidate who will beat him. ... He doesn’t deserve to be the governor of our state," the billionaire said, according to Crain's.

The news that Irvin is considering running for Illinois's top seat comes about two months after the Chicago Tribune reported there was "no way" the mayor would run for governor, since he was just re-elected in April and has "a job to do."

Irvin made history in April 2017 by being elected Aurora's first Black mayor. Before mayor, he served as an alderman-at-large on the Aurora City Council for a decade. With experience as an assistant state's attorney and a defense lawyer, Irvin also worked as a trial attorney for about 10 years, Patch previously reported.

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