Billionaire Democrats rush to Keisha Lance Bottoms’ aid in final stretch

Democratic nominee for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms is getting some late help from two of the party’s biggest donors as she tries to blunt Republican Rick Jackson’s massive spending edge in the race for governor.

Billionaire Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 contender, is putting $1 million toward her bid. Politico reported the money will go to her leadership fund, which can accept unlimited contributions.

And Bottoms’ campaign confirmed that former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, another billionaire and onetime presidential hopeful, is steering her way at least $1 million of his $80 million late push to help Democrats.

The cash won’t come close to matching Jackson’s checkbook. Analysts estimate the healthcare executive is on track to spend roughly $200 million of his own fortune on the race.

Still, it’s a welcome boost for Democrats scrambling to narrow the financial gap.

Through the end of July, the most recent reporting period, Jackson’s campaign had raised roughly $130 million, much of it from his own bank account. Bottoms had raised about $10 million through her campaign accounts.

Since then, the Democratic Governors Association has pledged to spend at least $10 million to help Bottoms, even as it warned that “Republicans are drastically outspending us.” Jackson has also received a $10 million contribution from the Republican Governors Association.