Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) is open to the idea of running for an Illinois senate seat as a MAGA Republican, telling Breitbart News Saturday, “never say never” when asked.
Blagojevich spoke about what he predicts to be a historic midterm election — historically bad for Democrats — when host Matthew Boyle asked if he is considering a political comeback, given his past scandal while he served as the Democratic governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. Blagojevich was impeached following charges of public corruption and served nearly eight years of a 14-year sentence. President Donald Trump has since pardoned him.
“Is it something you’d consider: Running as a Republican — as a MAGA, America First Republican — for the U.S. Senate in Illinois? Or if not … what’s your advice to various possible candidates out there?” Boyle asked.
“You know, never say never,” Blagojevich replied. “It’d be quite a story, wouldn’t it? You know, coming out of prison after eight years and then returning to Washington and becoming a United States senator.”
“I’d like to say to your listeners: I didn’t break a law across the line or take a penny,” he continued. “When people ask me, ‘What is my greatest accomplishment as governor?’ I used to think it was providing affordable health care to every child in Illinois.”
Blagojevich also touted providing free public transportation to seniors and the disabled as other key accomplishments during his term.
“But now, I believe my greatest accomplishment was standing up to weaponized prosecutors who criminalized things that were legal. Criminalized conversations Obama started. You go to the White House for eight years and I go to the — I go to prison for eight years because I wouldn’t give in. And I think that’s one of the greatest — I do believe that’s the greatest constitutional challenge in American history since the Civil War,” he said of the weaponization.
“If I ever was in a place of influence where I could play a role in trying to return our government — not just back to the people, but actually, you know, end this frightening trend towards weaponizing prosecutors and politicizing courts for politics. Which, again, is not what our founding fathers envisioned, and this is the greatest threat to freedom in America,” Blagojevich continued. “I would love to play that role.”
“Now, would I run for the United States Senate? You know, I gotta tell you, Matt, that would be a crazy thing,” the former governor admitted, noting that his wife has made it clear that the past has taken a toll on his family.
“She’s [Blagojevich’s wife] made it clear, Matt, that if I did something like that I’d have to do that with my second wife. So, in order for me to actually, like, decide to do something along those lines, I’d have to win my first primary — and that one’s right in my bedroom. And I’d have to convince my wife, Patty, that she should go along with something like that,” he said.
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Breitbart · Rod Blagojevich – April 26, 2025“But whether I do something along those lines, or whether there’s others, I do think that the winning strategy and the winning formula in a state like Illinois isn’t the traditional politics,” Blagojevich continued. “It isn’t being the traditional Democrat, or the crazy lunatic socialist Democrat, or the traditional corporate country club Republican.”
“It’s being, you know, a populist, common sense candidate that shares a lot of the same values of the Make America Great Again movement,” he added.
“So, whether I do something crazy like that, Matt, remains to be seen. But I have to say, I’ve come a long way. And through the grace of God, I’m in a place where — one day, so long ago, I was walking into prison for political things Obama started. And here I am, all those years later — after President Trump rescued me from prison, pardoned me — answering a question from a serious guy like you about running for the United States Senate. I’ve come a long way,” Blagojevich added. “Only in America.”
Breitbart News Saturday airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
