CHICAGO — The Democratic Party is poised to elect another Black woman to the U.S. Senate following Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s victory in Illinois’ contentious and costly primary on Tuesday.
Stratton emerged as the winner of a competitive Democratic primary for the state’s available Senate seat, surpassing front-runner Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. Her success was significantly bolstered by substantial financial support from outside groups, notably from her former running mate, Gov. JB Pritzker.
Stratton is widely regarded as the leading candidate to succeed Sen. Dick Durbin in this predominantly Democratic state and would become the sixth Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate.
The primary was marked by significant external spending and internal party divisions over racial issues. In the final weeks, tensions escalated as Krishnamoorthi and Stratton exchanged sharp criticisms during debates and attacked each other in television ads concerning corporate funding and immigration policies.
The Congressional Black Caucus, which supported Rep. Robin Kelly in the primary, cautioned that Pritzker’s involvement might divide the Black vote, potentially jeopardizing the Democrats’ opportunity to elect a Black woman to the Senate this year.
Stratton’s late momentum was driven by a mix of endorsements, external funding, and strategic messaging. She gained from the backing of Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.). The Illinois Future PAC, which received significant financial contributions from Pritzker and other supporters, invested at least $11.8 million to promote Stratton’s campaign and critique Krishnamoorthi.
Stratton is set to compete against Don Tracy, an Illinois Republican Party chair, in the upcoming November election. If successful, she would become the second Black woman from Illinois to be nominated to the Senate, following in the footsteps of Carol Moseley Braun, who also endorsed her candidacy.
