SPRINGFIELD (Capitol News Illinois) – Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is the first Democrat to step into what is expected to be a crowded race to fill Sen. Dick Durbin’s Senate seat.
Stratton launched her campaign Thursday morning in a video just one day after Durbin announced he will not seek reelection for a seat he has held since 1997.
“As Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue their relentless attack on Americans, we need new voices in Washington who will stand firm and fight fiercely to move us forward and protect the values we hold dear,” Stratton said in a statement.
Stratton has quickly risen through the ranks in Illinois politics. After serving one term in the Illinois House, Gov. JB Pritzker tapped her to be his running mate during the 2018 campaign. She took over as lieutenant governor alongside Pritzker in 2019, and the pair were reelected in 2022.
Stratton has notably appeared alongside Pritzker at more events in recent months. In her announcement video, she highlighted the accomplishments of Pritzker’s administration.
“(Republicans) like to talk. We’ve actually gotten things done,” Stratton said.
Pritzker praised Stratton but declined to endorse her, at least for now, during an unrelated news conference Thursday morning.
“She is truly one of the most accomplished people that’s ever held the job of lieutenant governor,” Pritzker said. “She’s done so much as a partner in governance in the state. As you know, I think very highly of her.”
Stratton, 59, who hails from Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, said her path to become a candidate for U.S. Senate isn’t “typical.” She said she wanted to enter politics after being the primary caregiver for her mother, who battled Alzheimer’s disease.
Stratton won an expensive race for the Illinois House in 2016, defeating incumbent Democratic Rep. Ken Dunkin, who sometimes sided with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner during the state’s two-year budget impasse that began in 2015.
Stratton’s professional background includes working as director of the University of Illinois Chicago’s Center for Public Safety and Justice.
Stratton has followed in Pritzker’s shadow as the governor has received accolades from Democrats for raising the minimum wage to $15, banning assault weapons and shoring up abortion protections after Roe v. Wade was struck down in 2022.
But especially in recent months, Stratton has sought to raise her own profile in state politics. She launched the Level Up federal political action committee in January, giving her a financial mechanism to influence federal campaigns or support her own run for office. The committee had not reported any fundraising as of Thursday.
Durbin, 80, announced Wednesday that he will retire when his term ends in 2027 after 44 years in Congress, including the last two decades as the Democratic whip in the Senate.
Durbin told WBEZ-FM radio in Chicago that “at least a dozen” candidates have expressed interest in his seat.
“We are also fortunate to have a strong Democratic bench ready to serve,” Durbin said. “We need them now more than ever.”
By Ben Szalinski (Capitol News Illinois)
bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
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