Illinois results solidify JB Pritzker's 'powerhouse' role — and set up a White House run

Carol Moseley Braun — the former U.S. senator from Illinois and first Black woman to hold the office — had just ended a call with newly minted Democratic Senate nominee Juliana Stratton on Wednesday when she reflected on why the victory was “obviously” good for Illinois Gov.

Carol Moseley Braun — the former U.S. senator from Illinois and first Black woman to hold the office — had just ended a call with newly minted Democratic Senate nominee Juliana Stratton on Wednesday when she reflected on why the victory was “obviously” good for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

“He’ll have a senator on his side,” Moseley Braun said in an interview with NBC News. “Running for the presidency — different offices, different dynamics involved — but the more senators on your side, the better.”

Moseley Braun said the quiet part out loud.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker celebrates Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton's win in the Democratic Senate primary in Chicago on Tuesday.Scott Olson / Getty ImagesOfficially, Pritzker is seeking a third term as governor of Illinois, clinching his own nomination unopposed on Tuesday night and preparing to face off against Republican Darren Bailey.

But one of the dominant narratives coming out of Tuesday night’s battery of primaries in the Land of Lincoln was how it would all reflect on Pritzker’s eventual pursuit of the White House.