Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton announces U.S. Senate campaign
[April 25, 2025]
By Ben Szalinski
SPRINGFIELD – 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.
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Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton speaks at the Illinois Democratic County
Chairs’ Association brunch in Springfield in August 2024. She became
the first high-ranking Democrat to formally announce her candidacy
for U.S. Senate on Thursday, April 24, one day after Illinois’
senior U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin announced he would not run again after
his term ends in 2026. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
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.”
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