Juliana Stratton Wins Historic Election to Replace Dick Durbin in U.S. Senate

Juliana Stratton Wins Illinois Senate Race to Succeed Dick Durbin

When the Associated Press called the race for the U.S. Senate in Illinois just seconds after the polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the crowd inside the Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport erupted into immediate applause. Juliana Stratton, the state’s sitting lieutenant governor, cruised to a decisive victory over Republican challenger Don Tracy and third-party candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. Unofficial returns showed Stratton leading with 61 percent of the vote, well ahead of Tracy’s 37.4 percent and Harrington’s 1.6 percent, with 85 percent of the votes counted, according to WTTW News.

The outcome marks a historic milestone in American politics. Stratton will become just the sixth Black woman to serve in the United States Senate, following in the footsteps of Carol Moseley Braun, who broke the barrier in Illinois more than 30 years ago. Because U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth already holds one of the state’s seats, Illinois will now become the first state to be represented by two women of color in the Senate. The six-year term is scheduled to begin in January 2027.

Shifting Dynamics After a Decades-Long Tenure

This high-stakes contest was triggered by a major change in Illinois politics back in April 2025, when longtime U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced his retirement. Durbin will end his career in the Senate in January 2027, leaving behind an open seat that had not seen an incumbent-free general election since 2010. To secure her spot on the general election ballot, Stratton had to get through a heated March primary where she defeated two Democratic members of Congress and eight other candidates, overcoming a $29 million ad campaign from U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi with the help of a late surge and backing from Governor JB Pritzker.

During her victory speech at the Bridgeport watch party, Stratton reflected on the early advice she received a decade ago when she first entered the Illinois legislature: sit back, listen, and avoid ruffling feathers.

Candidates Clash over Federal Minimum Wage and Healthcare

The general election contest featured Stratton and Tracy. Throughout the campaign, Stratton vowed to fight in Washington for a federal minimum wage increase to $25 an hour, the expansion of Medicare to replace private insurance, and the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She frequently tied Tracy to President Donald Trump, blaming him for making everything from rent and gas to healthcare and groceries more expensive by launching a war with Iran and imposing tariffs on the U.S.

Tracy, a Springfield businessman, lawyer, and former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party who stepped down from that post in July 2024, conceded the race to supporters in Springfield at 10 p.m. on Tuesday. “Although very disappointed, I congratulate Lt. Governor Stratton on her victory,” Tracy said, according to WTTW News. During the race, Tracy had attacked Stratton as a socialist while positioning himself as a moderate voice focused on lowering inflation, reducing gas prices, and enacting stricter border enforcement. Republicans haven’t won a statewide seat in Illinois in 12 years.

With the ballots counted and the race officially called, the focus now turns to Washington, where Stratton prepares to step into a national legislative role alongside Duckworth. As Durbin addressed the election night crowd, he told supporters that the combination of Stratton and Duckworth will give Illinois “the most powerful Senate team in Washington, D.C.”

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