Juliana Stratton was chosen Tuesday night by Illinois Democrats to replace the retiring Senator Dick Durbin, the second most powerful Democrat in the US Senate.
The contentious primary race was a three-way tussle between Lieutenant Governor Stratton, 60, Representative Robin Kelly, 69, and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, 52.
Stratton was called the winner by the Associated Press.
Illinois is a solidly Democratic state, and so tonight’s winner will likely become the state’s next senator, with the Cook Political Report rating it out of reach for a Republican hopeful.
It pitted the powerful Congressional Black Caucus against the state’s sitting governor against a Democratic fundraising powerhouse.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who harbors White House ambitions, put his weight behind his No. 2, Stratton, much to the chagrin of the CBC.
The race got so hostile that CBC Chair Yvette Clarke, a US Representative from New York, blasted Pritzker for his interference.
‘Governor Pritzker’s effort to tip the scales in Illinois’ US Senate race is beyond frustrating for the Congressional Black Caucus,’ Clarke said in a statement. ‘A sitting governor shouldn’t be heavy-handing the race.’
Representative Robin Kelly (left) had the support of the Congressional Black Caucus, while Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (center) had the most money. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton (right) was pushed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (right)
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, seen marching Saturday in Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, tested his political potency in the race by endorsing and financially supporting Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton
‘Quite frankly, his behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten by any of us,’ Clarke warned.
The CBC had endorsed Kelly, a member of Congress since 2013, representing Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses Chicago’s historic South Side, the southern suburbs and some rural areas as well.
Both Kelly and Stratton are black.
Kelly was behind in all recent polling, with Stratton and Krishnamoorthi flip-flopping for the lead.
Krishnamoorthi has a reputation for being one of Congress’ most prolific fundraisers.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Krishnamoorthi raised $30.5 million between the start of 2025 and February 25, transferring more than $19 million over from his House campaign fund.
That made him the second-highest fundraiser in the Democratic Party this cycle, trailing only Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, who faces one of the toughest general election battles in November.
Krishnamoorthi also had the backing of crypto interests, with the super PAC Fairshake, tossing $10 million in his direction, according to the Washington Post.
Polling stations are set up ahead of Tuesday’s primary elections in Illinois. With the retirement of longtime Senator Dick Durbin, there’s a contentious three-way primary for the Democratic Senate nomination
Illinois Democratic Senate candidate, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, walked in Saturday’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago. He came into the race with a huge financial advantage, additionally benefiting from his connections to the crypto community
Illinois Democratic Senate candidate, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton (left) appears at a campaign stop in Chicago last week with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (right). Stratton is also being supported by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
Representative Robin Kelly, photographed Tuesday making a campaign stop in Chicago, had the endorsement of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus, whose leadership slammed Governor JB Pritzker for endorsing one of her opponents
That gave him an enormous financial edge over Stratton, who raised $4.1 million since she declared her candidacy in April. Stratton also benefited from a super PAC funded by Pritzker, a billionaire.
Kelly had just $3.3 million to go toward her Senate run, transferring over $2.2 million from her House campaign fund, the Tribune reported.
The race is a test for Pritzker, whose national profile has risen thanks to the attention President Donald Trump has given him. On Monday in the Oval Office, Trump referred to Pritzker as that ‘slob of a governor.’
Like other possible 2028 Democratic White House hopefuls, the Illinois governor is trying to flex his political clout before his own name is likely on the ballot in two years.
Pritzker’s pick, Stratton, received several other high-profile endorsements, including from progressive darling, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, the state’s other Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, and even claimed that the late Jesse Jackson backed her campaign.
The posthumous Jackson endorsement is now in dispute, with son Yusef Jackson now saying that sample ballots that recommended Stratton were ‘released without authorization’ and no official endorsement from the Jackson family or Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition would be made, Politico reported Monday.
Kelly got a boost from South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn, who was at one point the highest-ranking black member of Congress.
She also got some help from an unwanted source – Project Progress, part of the pro-crypto Fairshake networking backing Krishnamoorthi, Punchbowl News reported in late February, in a move meant to siphon voters away from Stratton.
The group spent $90,000 on ads boosting Kelly, while also running ads against Stratton.
