Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) took a similarly defiant tone as many Democrats since President-elect Donald Trump won the 2024 election with a warning seemingly pointed at him.

“People have often said that I’m a happy warrior, and I’ve always taken seriously my role as a happy warrior on behalf of this state,” the Illinois governor said at a Thursday press conference. “Even today, when I’m struggling with many of the difficult questions this election poses, my optimism for the future remains undiminished.”