CONFIRMED: Irvin enters Governors Race Monday, Chooses Bourne as Running Mate

It was a pretty poorly kept secret at this point, but I've confirmed Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin will enter the Republican race for Governor on Monday.

Irvin, 51, will have the backing of billionaire Ken Griffin, though I'm told Griffin may not make direct investments early on to give Democrats less of a line of attack on him.

Irvin has voted Democrat in all but one primary since at least 2014, according to the Kane County Clerk's office. That will obviously be a tough pill to swallow for the MAGA crowd.

Irvin will run with Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) a conservative young lawmaker who, at just 29, has already made her way up the ranks of House GOP leadership and is considered a rising star in the GOP.

I'm told Irvin won't be making any in person announcement Monday, as has been the case with the entire Griffin slate, but a video will likely be the means to kick off the campaign.

I would assume you'll also have Republicans talking about how they have the Pritzker campaign “running scared” after the billionaire reported dumping $90 million cash into his campaign Friday night. But, you had to assume he was spending that money anyway.

If he gets the nomination, Irvin would be the first African American major party gubernatorial nominee in the history of the state, Republican or Democrat. So it's not a coincidence this announcement will be made on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

I'll have more as it develops over on the website.