Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker awkwardly boasted about being an “actual billionaire” following socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ rant against the ultra-wealthy during night two of the Democratic National Convention.
“Donald Trump thinks that we should trust him on the economy because he claims to be very rich,” the 59-year-old Democrat said Tuesday in a dig at the Republican presidential candidate.
“But take it from an actual billionaire,” he said as the crowd inside the United Center in Chicago erupted into cheers. “Trump is rich in only one thing — stupidity.”
Prizker’s net worth is currently $3.5 billion, making him the richest politician in office, Forbes reported.
Trump is worth $4.3 billion, according to the outlet.
The Illinois governor’s family owns the Hyatt Hotel Chain as his cousin Thomas Pritzker serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
An heir to the hotel chain’s fortune, Pritzker was first elected to the governor’s office in 2018.
He previously ran a private equity firm, Pritzker Group, with his brother Anthony.
Pritzker went on to advocate for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s campaign saying they want to create a country with “serenity.”
“A serenity that comes with a balanced checkbook, an affordable grocery bill, and a housing market that has room for everyone,” he said.
Moments before The Prarie State governor’s speech, Sanders had ranted to the convention calling for the country’s upper class to pay for the lower class.
“Too many of our fellow Americans are struggling everyday to just get by,” the 82-year-old independent said. “To put food on the table to pay the rent and to get the healthcare they need.”
“Brothers and sisters, bottom line we need an economy that works for all of us not just the billionaire class,” he added.
“My fellow Americans, when 60% of us live paycheck to paycheck the top 1% have never ever had it so good.”
Sanders also called out the “oligarchs” who suggest not to tax the rich or expand federal health insurance.
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“These oligarchs tell us we shouldn’t take on price-gouging, we shouldn’t expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision and we shouldn’t increase Social Security benefits for struggling seniors,” Sanders lectured.
“Well, I’ve got bad news for them. That is precisely what we are going to do!” Sanders railed. “And we are going to win this struggle because that is precisely what the American people want from their government.
Sanders twice sought the Democratic presidential nomination in his 2016 and 2020 campaigns running off his “democratic socialist” platform.
Sanders built his failed 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns on his “democratic socialist” platform, and has long called for wealthy Americans to pay more in taxes to support social programs.
