Editor’s Note: This piece is one-half of a duo debating the merits of the two major-party nominees for the Illinois Governorship. The sister-article which argues in opposition can be found here.

He stood up to the podium underneath the parabolic aluminized reflector lights. A red tie dangled from his neck, which morphed into his figure. Cameras pointed directly at his visage, exposing everything that he was: a billionaire with no government experience. His campaign was struck by a damaging tape, he has been hesitant to release his tax returns, and he has poured a considerable amount of money into his campaign.

The moderator leaned into the microphone to announce his presence, but she did not announce the name of the 45th President of the United States. Instead, she dropped another two words synonymous with status, inherited wealth, and corruption: J.B. Pritzker.

Running in the 2018 Illinois Gubernatorial Election, Pritzker symbolizes the American political transition into a system in which having your name on the Forbes’ Billionaire List is a prerequisite for assuming political office. Pritzker, who has drawn close comparisons to President Trump (from state Sen. Biss for one), is competing in a heavily contested race. He may be well-educated, and have the lead, but he should not be an easy choice for Illinois governor.

I formerly supported state Sen. Daniel Biss in the Illinois Democratic Gubernatorial Primary and, unlike many former Biss supporters, I am not willing to hop onto the Pritzker bandwagon.

Yes, Rauner is wealthy, but he is self-made and — having served as governor for four years — now has political experience. While my argument seems slightly flawed (if Rauner can succeed in four years without having political experience, how could Pritzker?), I argue that this election means significantly more than policy, but rather concerns the future of American politics and its slide into a system in which money plays a large role in shaping. Pritzker personally contributed approximately $50 million to his own campaign.

Unlike other prominent Republicans, Rauner denounced Trump, showing tremendous bravery. In a time in which the identity of the Republican Party is shifting, Rauner has stood rock solid, boasting numerous accomplishments, including signing historical education reform and galvanizing the movement to bring clean energy jobs to the Midwest. Under the Rauner administration, Illinois has seen addition of over 120,000 new jobs. Rauner reformed the prison system, imposed limits on gifts from lobbyists, and increased K-12 education funding by $1.2 billion—all of which he accomplished with a Democratic majority in both the Illinois House of Representatives and the Senate. Although I do not support all of the bills to which Rauner affixed his signature, I believe that Rauner has demonstrated that he is qualified to serve his constituents.

Although technically a Republican, Rauner is socially liberal. Despite his supporting gay rights and women’s right to choose, Illinoisans often overlook him simply because of his party affiliation. He truly stands as a moderate conservative (being both fiscally conservative and socially liberal) and, in standing true in his convictions, demonstrated gumption—a scarce quality in prominent Republicans (e.g. Bob Corker and Mitt Romney).

Meanwhile, while Pritzker may seem benign, we have to be honest about his flaws. The Chicago Tribune exposed Pritzker’s offshore holdings, which he has consistently used to confound tax authorities. While typical Illinoisans must pay taxes, Pritzker has used his immense fortune to cheat the United States tax system.

In addition, countless Pritzker supporters applaud his “charitable donations,” but —in actuality— these contributions cost him virtually nothing because of his ability to circumvent the American tax system. But, Pritzker is not like Trump solely because of his knack for cheating American taxpayers. Pritzker also inherited a fortune and engaged in scandalous behavior. Rauner recently released a tape exposing a conversation between Pritzker and former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich—whose felonious actions cost him 14 years in prison—in which Pritzker expressed interest in being appointed as Illinois’ Treasurer.

Irrespective of Pritzker’s scruples, an important point emerges: the time is now to release the shackles of inherited money that restrain our political system. The time is now to overlook partisanship and lunge toward the common good. The choice belongs in the hands of Illinoisans: be blinded by party labels or look vividly into the eyes of justice and rid government of corruption. It started with Donald Trump; it’ll continue with J.B. Pritzker.