Juliana Stratton wins Senate Dem primary to replace Dick Durbin
Illinois Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in a crowded primary that drew millions in spending. Stratton secured 39.6% of the vote, defeating Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (33.4%) adn Robin Kelly (18.5%),with the Associated Press calling the race late Tuesday night. The win comes in a primary where fundraising and outside money played a major role.
Krishnamoorthi raised about $30 million, while Stratton brought in around $4 million and Kelly about $3 million.Stratton benefited from a roughly $5 million donation from Gov. JB pritzker’s Illinois Future PAC. Four super PACs spent nearly $17 million on advertising and support for the contenders,and ther was notable donor activity tied to AIPAC in Stratton’s favor.
Campaign ads where aggressive, with groups backing Krishnamoorthi aiming to boost kelly to siphon votes from Stratton. Despite the fierce contest, Stratton is expected to win the general election in November in a strongly Democratic state, where she will face former Illinois Republican party Chairman Don Tracy.
The result also serves as a test of Pritzker’s national influence, as Stratton’s primary win positions him as a potential national figure. Illinois uses a plurality system, meaning the candidate with the most votes wins even if not a majority. Krishnamoorthi conceded the race to Stratton in a supporters’ speech Tuesday night.
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton wins Democratic nod for Senate in upset over Krishnamoorthi’s big spending
Illinois Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton defeated nine competitors to secure the Democratic nomination for Senate on Tuesday night, a win for Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) in a primary race that drew in millions of dollars in spending.
The Associated Press called the race for Stratton at 10:38 p.m., over two hours after the polls closed in Illinois. Stratton defeated Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Robin Kelly (D-IL), her two most competitive opponents, with 39.6% of the vote. Krishnamoorthi came in second with 33.4%, followed by Kelly with 18.5%.
Illinois operates under a plurality system, meaning the person with the most votes wins even if they receive less than 50% of the vote.
Krishnamoorthi conceded to Stratton in a speech to supporters Tuesday night, stating he will accept defeat “unlike Donald Trump.” All three major Democratic candidates had pledged to stand up to the president if they were elected.
Millions of dollars dominated the Democratic primary to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). It is the first time his seat has been open in almost three decades and the first open Senate seat in Illinois in 16 years.
Krishnamoorthi brought in just under $30 million, with Stratton raising $4 million and Kelly raising $3 million, making Stratton’s win all the more surprising. She benefitted from a $5 million donation Pritzker made to Illinois Future PAC, which supported Stratton’s candidacy.
Four super PACs spent nearly $17 million on advertising and other campaign support across the three candidates. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, has stayed quiet on the Senate race, instead opting to invest heavily in multiple House races, but an analysis from the Intercept found at least 27 AIPAC donors had backed Stratton.
Ads largely were a mudslinging fest between Krishnamoorthi and Stratton. Groups supporting Krishnamoorthi also sought to boost Kelly as a way to siphon votes away from Stratton, but the lieutenant governor managed to sail to victory in a crowded primary field.
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Stratton is all but assured to win the Senate seat this November given Illinois’s blue lean. She will face former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy in the general election.
The lieutenant governor’s victory is also a win for Pritzker, with her Democratic primary serving as an early test of the governor’s national influence. Pritzker is among those speculated to launch a bid for president in 2028.
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