Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic Senate primary in Illinois, NBC News projects, overtaking two members of Congress with the encouragement of Governor JB Pritzker in an expensive race.
Stratton defeated Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly in the race to replace retiring Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, targeting members of his party in Washington, DC, for not standing up to President Donald Trump.
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Stratton was leading Cook County with 40% of the vote to Krishnamoorthi’s 29% and Kelly’s 23%, about 80% of the expected vote. Stratton, a native of the South Side, was beating Krishnamoorthi by 20 points in downtown Chicago, and they were tied in the Chicago suburbs.
If elected, Stratton will be the sixth black woman to serve in the Senate. And it will be the first time that three black women have served in the Senate at the same time.
“What I’ve heard from people is clearly that they’re fed up with what’s going on in Washington,” Stratton said in a recent interview with NBC News. “They are frustrated and angry that they see a president who tramples on the Constitution, who acts recklessly without thinking about what is good for the American people. And they want a fighter in Washington, someone who will stand up and be a check on this president.”
Stratton was able to overcome the lack of good finances. Krishnamoorthi, who became the top spender during his five terms in the house, spent $29 million on initial ads, according to ad tracking firm AdImpact. Kelly’s campaign spent $1.4 million, while Stratton’s campaign spent $1.1 million.
Stratton served in the Legislature before Pritzker chose him as his 2018 running mate. Endorsed by Pritzker in a packed classroom, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Pritzker, who is also a billionaire and a possible 2028 presidential contender, helped fund the Illinois Future PAC, which spent $14.9 million on race ads promoting Stratton and attacking Krishnamoorthi. Stratton also faced nearly $10 million in attacks from Fairshake, a group funded by cryptocurrency executives.
A spokesperson for Fairshake declined to comment on its use in this particular race. But there may be a connection to Pritzker’s estimates that were signed into law last year that established new crypto regulations. Stratton was also welcomed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who supports crypto laws.
Stratton has positioned herself as the most progressive candidate in the race, supporting policies including “Medicare for All” and a $25 minimum wage, as well as ending ICE amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts.
The three Senate candidates differed on approaches to ICE, with Krishnamoorthi saying “Trump’s ICE should be done away with” and Kelly suggesting that the Department of Homeland Security should be disbanded entirely.
Stratton dismissed concerns that policies such as ending ICE could be problematic for the Democratic Party and easily arm Republicans.
“Anyone who wants to talk about what might be armed with them, what about the fact that the federal government is armed with weapons against our citizens? This is the real evil here,” said Stratton in a recent interview.
Stratton also said he would not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., to continue as the chamber’s caucus leader.
“I am the only one who will enter this race that made it clear that I will not support Chuck Schumer to lead the Democratic Alliance caucus, the Senate caucus, because it is not what people are looking at right now,” said Stratton in the interview. “They want someone to fight, we need fighters and not folders.”
Stratton is expected to have a strong chance to win the general election in November in the historically Democratic district. He will face former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy, whom NBC News projects as the winner of the Republican Senate primary. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois by 11 percent in 2024.
