Prairie State Wire

To the chagrin of the Illinois Republican Party, Comptroller Susana Mendoza has thrown her support behind billionaire J.B. Pritzker in his bid to become the Democratic nominee for governor, making her the second state official to do so.

At the James Thompson Center with Pritzker by her side, Mendoza said that Pritzker had her "full faith and confidence [to] lead us in the right direction and do the job better than anybody else at this time," according to the Chicago Tribune.

Illinois Republican Party spokesman Aaron DeGroot decried Mendoza's decision in a press release, insisting that House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) had a hand in her decision.

Susanna Mendoza | Coutesy of susanamendoza.com

"Mike Madigan made Susana Mendoza's political career by backing her campaign and clearing the field of her opponents," DeGroot said in the release. "Now she's repaying those debts by endorsing J.B. Pritzker, Madigan's favorite candidate for governor. Madigan is steamrolling all opposition to Pritzker, and Susana Mendoza is playing her part as a cog in Madigan's corrupt Chicago Machine."

DeGroot underscored Madigan's influence over Mendoza's political career by citing her consistent support for the party chairman. 

"Just a day after voting for Madigan's massive 67% tax hike, Susana Mendoza seconded Madigan's nomination for Speaker, ensuring yet another disastrous two-years of his reign over Illinois," DeGroot said in the release.

Primary elections will take place on March 20, 2018.