Chicago City Wire

Ted Dabrowski, a candidate for governor of Illinois, has expressed his disapproval of coarse rhetoric in politics. He criticized Governor J.B. Pritzker's use of profanity and past comparisons, pledging to maintain civility if elected. This statement was made in a provided statement.

"Gov. J.B. Pritzker continues to coarsen political discourse in this country," said Dabrowski, Gubernatorial Candidate. "Such language debases the office of the governor of Illinois. You will hear no such language from me when I am governor. I will defeat Pritzker and succeed as governor using the same tools I have always used – plain facts, common sense, and persuasive language."

During a speech on October 19, 2025, before the Illinois Federation of Teachers convention in Rosemont, Governor Pritzker addressed attendees with strong language against former President Donald Trump and his allies. "I’m sorry to be vulgar, but Donald Trump and his cronies can f all the way off," he said. The remarks were made while criticizing Trump-era education policies and the rollback of protections for LGBTQ students. The union audience responded with enthusiastic applause, highlighting the resonance of his language with that constituency. However, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, these remarks quickly became a point of contention in public debates over political civility.

A January 2024 poll by the Pew Research Center revealed that 70% of U.S. adults believe elected officials should avoid heated or aggressive language as it could encourage violent actions. In contrast, 29% say officials should use such language without concern for listeners' reactions. This survey underscores the broad public expectation for political leaders to maintain civility to uphold democratic norms.

In February 2025, Governor Pritzker reportedly invoked historical comparisons during a speech by referencing the rise of Nazis in 1930s Germany: "It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic." Critics linked this to modern authoritarian movements. Subsequently, in September 2025, Illinois Republicans filed articles of impeachment against him, alleging that his rhetoric encouraged violence or demonized opposition parties—an escalation noted by Capitol News Illinois.

Dabrowski previously served as president of Wirepoints Inc., a conservative Illinois-policy publication. He announced his candidacy on September 12, 2025, for the Republican nomination for governor in the upcoming 2026 election. Before joining Wirepoints, he was vice-president of policy at the Illinois Policy Institute and spent nearly two decades in banking. His policy focus includes pensions, tax reform, and governance issues in Illinois.