Governor JB Pritzker stays quiet on VP vetting but says net worth not a problem

CHICAGO — If he's made it to the final round to become Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker isn't saying.

Pritzker said Wednesday in an interview with USA TODAY that he'd spoken to Harris and her campaign team "over and over again" over the past few weeks, including on the day that President Joe Biden announced he was leaving the race. But as a member of Biden's national advisory board, he said he'd long been in touch with campaign aides about ways he can support the ticket.

"I'm just not going to talk about the private conversations I've had with the vice president," he said.

What he did reveal: that he has not been told that it isn't him. "Oh, no. I don't think any decisions have been made," he said.

Harris's campaign confirmed on Tuesday that the presumptive Democratic nominee plans to name her running mate by Aug. 6 and that the new ticket is scheduled to tour several key swing states, starting with Philadelphia and also making stops in western Wisconsin, Detroit, Raleigh, N.C., Savannah, Ga., Phoenix and Las Vegas. Top contenders for the VP slot include Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Pritzker hedged when asked if he had any in-person meetings planned with Harris.

"Right now, I'm just a guy who's working to make sure that everybody knows what the message is for this campaign so that we can get her elected president," he said.

As a two-term governor of a Midwest state that borders several must-win battlegrounds, Pritzker's name has been floated as a potential running mate. He has suggested multiple times that he's under consideration while side-stepping questions on the vetting process.

Pritzker's financials would come under review if he were being vetted. An heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune with a net worth of approximately $3.5 billion, that process could prove more complicated for him than Harris' other choices.

Harris has less than a week to make her pick if Democrats are to beat a self-imposed deadline of Aug. 7 to solidify their new ticket.

Pritzker denied on Wednesday that his vast holdings would pose a problem.

"I don't think so. I mean, remember, I've been fully vetted, because I've run for office now twice statewide in the fifth largest state in the country and done that successfully. Everything's been transparent. We've gone over all of my background, all of the finances," he said.

Because of the statements of economic interest, he's had to release, Pritzker said, "and the release of tax returns, they know what my portfolio is."

Pritzker has partially released his tax records. And questions have lingered about his independently-managed trusts.

"What they really know is that I'm fighting for working families, that I'm a pragmatic person, who has balanced budgets, I've also been progressive on many issues," he said. "And I think it's hyper important that we take that national, that entire Democratic agenda, and hopefully that will be with the winning ticket let by Kamala Harris."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Governor JB Pritzker plays coy on VP vetting as Harris nears choice