Juliana Stratton, Illinois’ lieutenant governor, has won a U.S. Senate seat, defeating Republican candidate Don Tracy. She will take the seat held by Dick Durbin, who decided to end his Senate career after nearly 30 years.
The Associated Press reported Stratton’s victory. Her win means Democrats keep the seat in a state that has not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 2010.
Who Is Juliana Stratton? From Lieutenant Governor to the U.S. Senate
Stratton has served as Illinois lieutenant governor since 2019. She was first elected to the post in 2018 alongside Gov. JB Pritzker. The two were reelected four years later.
The Chicago native also has legislative experience. She served one term in the Illinois House of Representatives.
In March, she won the Democratic primary, defeating two sitting congressmen who represent the Chicago area. During the campaign, she ran on a decidedly progressive platform. Among other things, she backed raising the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour, abolishing the immigration agency ICE and creating a universal health insurance system, Medicare for All.
Her Republican opponent, Springfield attorney Don Tracy, who previously chaired the Illinois Republican Party, criticized those proposals and portrayed Stratton’s platform as too radical. During the campaign, Tracy also pointed to differences between the Democratic candidate’s positions and the policies of President Donald Trump.
Dick Durbin Leaves After Nearly 30 Years in the Senate
Stratton’s victory marks a change in a seat Dick Durbin held for many years. The 81-year-old Democrat was first elected to the Senate in 1996, during Bill Clinton’s presidency.
Durbin is one of several veteran Illinois Democrats who decided not to seek another term. Congress members Danny Davis and Jan Schakowsky, among others, made similar decisions.
The election took place as Democrats were trying to regain control of at least one chamber of Congress. Holding the Illinois seat, however, does not give the party an additional seat, because it was already held by a Democrat.
Stratton Vows to Fight for Illinois Residents
After the results were announced, a spokeswoman for Stratton’s campaign said voters had chosen representation focused on lowering the cost of living, protecting civil rights and supporting working families.
During the campaign, Stratton herself said that in Washington she would oppose Donald Trump’s policies and push for the Democratic Party’s priorities.
Her move to the Senate also means a change in Illinois’ executive leadership. Stratton spent recent years as Gov. JB Pritzker’s deputy, and she will now represent the state at the federal level.
Source: Polski.FM