Lauren Underwood opts out of Illinois Senate race
Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL) has announced that she will not be entering the race for the senate seat currently held by Dick Durbin (D-IL) after a recent poll showed her trailing behind her potential opponent, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL). Initially,Underwood had published a poll where she was leading in a hypothetical Democratic primary,but KrishnamoorthiS subsequent poll indicated he was ahead. Following this, Underwood made the decision to focus on her current role in the House of Representatives, stating that she believes her most effective contribution to families in Illinois is to assist the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in reclaiming the House majority.
In her statement, Underwood expressed her commitment to addressing issues facing American families and reiterated her intention to oppose Donald Trump’s policies by fostering Democratic success in upcoming elections. Her exit has left the primary race for the Senate seat contested between Krishnamoorthi, Rep.Robin Kelly (D-IL), and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who has the backing of Governor JB Pritzker (D-IL). Krishnamoorthi is reported to have a notable campaign fund,heightening the competition moving forward.
Lauren Underwood opts out of Illinois Senate race
Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) announced she will not be running for Sen. Dick Durbin‘s (D-IL) seat after a poll showed her trailing one of her would-be opponents.
After publishing a poll weeks ago showing her in the lead in a hypothetical Democratic primary, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) published a new poll showing him in the lead. Shortly after, Underwood announced she would not run for the Senate seat, deciding to focus on her work in the House instead.
“When I reflected on the way that I could best serve families in Illinois and around the country, I really decided to stay in the House of Representatives,” she said in an appearance on CNN, adding that she would use her leadership position there to “help the DCCC as we seek to reclaim the majority.”
She elaborated on her decision in a statement posted on X, bashing President Donald Trump.
“Our work is not done, and I’ve decided the most powerful way for me to defend our values and hold Donald Trump accountable is to help Democrats win back the House,” she said.
“By serving in House Democratic leadership and leading the DCCC recruitment efforts, I’ll continue working to drive down costs for American families, flip the House, and elect a new generation of changemakers,” she continued.
The primary race will now be decided between three formidable candidates — Krishnamoorthi, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. Stratton boasts the backing of Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), who was rumored to have tried to stop Underwood.
RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI LAUNCHES ILLINOIS SENATE CAMPAIGN WITH LARGE WAR CHEST TO COMBAT PRITZKER’S
“Well, I didn’t speak to the governor, and I don’t need to speak with him. But what I do know is that kind of ugliness has no place in our politics. I know that Illinois voters are going to decide this election. Illinois voters can’t be bought,” she told CNN, regarding reports that he tried to stop her run.
Krishnamoorthi has an impressive war chest of $19 million, with $3 million raised in the first quarter of 2025. His recent poll showed many former Underwood voters defecting to him, giving him a nine-point lead over Stratton.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Auto Amazon Links: Could not resolve the given unit type, . Please be sure to update the auto-insert definition if you have deleted the unit.