Juliana Stratton wins Illinois U.S. Senate seat

politicsNov 3, 2026386,678

Democrat Juliana Stratton, the lieutenant governor of Illinois, won election Tuesday to the U.S. Senate, defeating Republican Don Tracy to fill the open seat of retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Decision Desk HQ and AP projected the victory after Stratton, 61, emerged from a bruising March Democratic primary with heavy backing from Gov. JB Pritzker, who contributed $10 million to Stratton’s PAC. Stratton has served as lieutenant governor since 2019 and previously spent one term as a state legislator from a Chicago-area district. She is among the more progressive Senate winners this year, supporting Medicare for All, a $25 minimum wage and abolishing ICE, and she pledged to refuse corporate PAC money and said she would not back Sen. Chuck Schumer for Democratic leader. Stratton received endorsements from several Senate Democrats, including Durbin, Tammy Duckworth and Elizabeth Warren. Don Tracy largely self-funded his campaign and drew limited national Republican support. Stratton will join Sen. Tammy Duckworth in representing Illinois and will become the sixth Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate.

Phil Lewis

@phillewis.bsky.social

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Juliana Stratton wins election to U.S. Senate from Illinois.

A photo of Juliana Stratton in a green sweater

29553h ago

Derek Baker5

It turns out that making a supercut ad of voters saying “f*ck Trump” was a winning message.

Deborah Lian3

By nearly 2 to 1. Wow

Quoting this

Anna Gifty329

ANOTHER BLACK WOMAN IN THE SENATE. EXAAAACTLY. 🤏🏿🤏🏿

HENNY OMEGA45

Ran a lot of Abolish ICE ads during the primary btw.

Antonia Juhasz28

There will be three Black women serving in the United States Senate.

Jenn Wilson14

Illinois will be represented by a Black woman AND an Asian woman in the senate. I’m THRILLED! 💗💗💗

Clitasaurus Rex 🦖8

chicago doing all the heavy lifting tonight

Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong6

Lucky us! Two female senators of color!

Cyntee2

The way I filled in the box by her name so hard 🥹

Alt National Park Service

@altnps.bsky.social

Some more wins! Cory Booker in New Jersey, Jack Reed in Rhode Island, Ed Markey in Massachusetts, Juliana Stratton in Illinois, and Chris Coons in Delaware!

15873h ago

pbfranchise.bsky.social13

me no likey Corey Booker but alas

Andrea Is Sick of Long Covid7

Yuck to Cory Booker YAY to the rest. Juliana Stratton's gonna be a star!

Jack Tripper3

Now, let's win some red states.

Quoting this

Tracy3

+ Ossoff in Georgia US Senator + Roy Cooper NC US Senator + Chris Pappas New Hampshire US Senator

Jay✨2

First (and hopefully ever) person in the Senate with my deadname🥰🥰 (by this i mean if i ever consider running for office yell at me)

Florida Chris

@chrislongview.bsky.social

Illinois is sending Juliana Stratton to Washington, DC. She will be the third Black woman Senator in the 120th Congressional, joining Senator Alsobrooks and Senator Blunt-Rochester. She will be the sixth Black woman ever to serve as a US Senator.

3113h ago

Jenn Wilson8

THRILLED! She’s fantastic & our incoming Lt Gov looks great as well. It’s wild to be proud of IL state government.

MB Brown7

And three Black women all serving together at once! Pure joy!

theevalerie.bsky.social5

I love this. Let’s keep going.

THEE NWMagpie - I Don't Argue With Ppl John Brown Would've Shot1

Only the sixth . . . but this is awesome news. 🥰

Quoting this

Jenn M-S50

This is historic, absolutely historic.

HeadhunterSully23

You love to see it!

Uncrewed

@uncrewed.bsky.social

AP CALLS IT FOR JULIANA STRATTON AND JB PRITZKER AT POLL CLOSING. ANOTHER EMBARASSING NIGHT FOR THE ILLINOIS GOP INCOMING

2713h ago

Quoting this

TimelandIsWacky2

A while back someone got mad at me for saying that whatever Dem wins the primary here will succeed Durbin because him retiring would somehow give Republicans a win. They called it in two minutes.

FactPost

@factpostnews.bsky.social

Democrat Juliana Stratton has won the Illinois race for U.S. Senate.

1963h ago

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸

@rweingarten.bsky.social

Congratulations to Illinois's next Senator, @julianastratton.bsky.social! As the daughter of a public school teacher, she has been a staunch advocate against attacks on public schools and educators and fought to deliver the support our schools deserve. www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/c...

1923h ago

Amee Vanderpool

@girlsreallyrule.bsky.social

The AP has called the race for the Illinois Senate for Democrat Juliana Stratton. 💙

1633h ago

Jonathan Capehart

@jonathancapehart.bsky.social

With Illinois LG Juliana Stratton winning the U.S. Senate seat, there will be three Black women serving in the U.S. Senate!

1473h ago

Andrea Is Sick of Long Covid1

We chose her because she's a smart progressive. So excited!

Quoting this

Bruce Wilson23

Could have been 4 if the Democratic Party had given Angie Nixon even a little support.

Gregory Pratt

@royalpratt.bsky.social

History: With Juliana Stratton's victory, lllinois became the first state to have two women of color serve as U.S. senators at the same time. Stratton and Tammy Duckworth.

1341h ago

Quoting this

Alex Koppel4

This is so cool, great job Illinois

Janai Nelson

@janainelson.bsky.social

CONGRATS, SENATOR-ELECT JULIANA STRATTON! For the first time in U.S. history 3 Black women will serve simultaneously in the Senate. Senator-elect Stratton joins Senators Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware. She’s the second Black woman senator from Illinois.

1222h ago

Ken Martin

@kenmartin.bsky.social

Congratulations to Juliana Stratton on her massive victory in Illinois! Senator-elect Stratton will continue the fight to lower costs for Illinois families and safeguard the rights and freedoms of every person across this state.

1363h ago

Polling USA

@usapolling.bsky.social

J.D Pritzker has been declared the winner of the IL-GOV Race Juliana Stratton has been declared the winner of the IL-SEN race

1073h ago

Quoting this

James Ryan9

I will take this moment to congratulate my close friend, college roommate @cmitchellforlg.bsky.social on becoming the next Lt. Governor of Illinois. Whatever may come for Pritzker, the people of IL are very lucky to have a determined, principled public servant like Christian on their side.

Senate Democrats

@dscc.bsky.social

Congratulations to Senator-Elect Juliana Stratton!! 💙🎉 As Illinois’ Lieutenant Governor, Juliana Stratton fought for working families from Chicago to downstate. In the Senate, she’ll go to bat for working families, work to lower costs, and protect the fundamental freedoms Illinoisans believe in.

ELECTED: Juliana Stratton. Illinois - U.S. Senate.

383h ago

Laguna Beach Democratic Club

@lagunabeachdems.bsky.social

💙 THE LAND OF LINCOLN HAS SPOKEN! Juliana Stratton is headed to the U.S. Senate! Congratulations on your HISTORIC victory and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Illinois! 🇺🇸

Congratulations
TO OUR NEWLY ELECTED
U.S. SENATOR JULIANA STRATTON ILLINOIS
Laguna Beach
DEMOCRATIC CLUB

412h ago

Indivisible Chicago Alliance ❌👑

@indivisiblechicago.bsky.social

They both won! - JB Pritzker remains our governor. - Juliana Stratton wins the Senate race!!!!!

343h ago

3 sources

thehill.comJuliana Stratton wins Senate seat in Illinois apnews.comDemocrat Juliana Stratton wins election to U.S. Senate from Illinois chicagotribune.comUS Senate race: Illinois voters choose Juliana Stratton as Dick Durbin’s successor, AP says

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Juliana Stratton wins Illinois U.S. Senate seat

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