Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday formally endorsed the U.S. Senate candidacy of his lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton, one day after she was the first to jump into the race to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.

In a video released on social media, Pritzker praised Stratton’s partnership as part of his administration’s work on issues ranging from the minimum wage to infrastructure improvements and gun legislation.

The endorsement was not entirely unexpected. What is unknown is how much money Pritzker, a billionaire and prolific Democratic party donor, plans to commit to Stratton’s campaign in a primary race that could get crowded with candidates, including House Democrats like Robin Kelly, Lauren Underwood and  Raja Krishnamoorthi.

Pritzker, a possible 2028 candidate for the White House, has yet to formally announce his own plans for 2026 when he would be up for re-election as governor. If he does seek a third term, he’d be in the market for a new running mate if Stratton remains in the Senate race.

The primary election will be held March 17, 2026.