Stratton Takes Illinois Senate Seat
The lieutenant governor defeated former state GOP chair Don Tracy to fill the vacancy left by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.
By Carlos Rousseau ·
Juliana Stratton will take over the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, NBC News projects.
The Illinois lieutenant governor defeated former state Republican Party chair Don Tracy in the general election. She also beat high-profile Democratic rivals, including Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi, in the March primary.
Stratton has served as the state’s second-in-command to Gov. JB Pritzker for eight years. The governor endorsed her Senate bid, providing a key endorsement before the primary vote.
Her campaign focused on economic and immigration issues. She advocated for raising the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour. The state raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour during her tenure as lieutenant governor.
Stratton also pledged to check the administration of President Donald Trump. She called for the abolishing of ICE, citing the need to protect local communities from agency actions.
She will be seated in the Senate on January 3. Democrats are targeting seat pickups in North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, and Texas to secure a majority in the chamber.
