Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Thursday became the first prominent Democrat to launch a bid for Sen. Dick Durbin’s Senate seat, painting herself as a new leader who can speak for the “working people” and help stand up to President Donald Trump.
Stratton’s announcement in an early morning two-minute video comes just a day after Durbin announced he’s not seeking reelection for the Senate seat he has held since 1996.
Stratton wrote on X, “I’m Juliana Stratton, and I’m running for United States Senate.”
In a biographical video, Stratton takes aim at Trump and key adviser Elon Musk for creating “nonstop chaos,” and introduces herself as “the daughter of a teacher and a Navy veteran from the South Side of Chicago and a proud mom of four.”
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to distract us, to create such a mess that we don’t know where to start,” Stratton says. “But in Washington, they’re still using the same things they’ve always done, and that old playbook isn’t working.”
She says her path to the Senate isn’t typical, “but then again, typical isn’t what we need right now.”
Stratton touts the accomplishments made during her six-plus years as lieutenant governor, including raising the minimum wage, the state’s infrastructure accomplishments, gun safety laws and enshrining abortion laws in Illinois. She also points fingers at the Trump administration for pushing for massive healthcare cuts and widespread tariffs — and says the state has eliminated millions in medical debt and gotten rid of the grocery tax.
“They like to talk. We’ve actually gotten things done,” Stratton says in the video. “Now I’m running for Senate, because the only way out of this mess is to bring new energy, new voices and new leaders who understand the lives of working people. Join our campaign, and together we can stop Trump and stand up for Illinois.”
Stratton has served alongside Gov. JB Pritzker as lieutenant governor since 2018, and previously served as a state representative. She is the first Black woman to ever hold the office, and one of eight Black women in history to hold the title in the country.
Stratton currently oversees the administration’s Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative and chairs the board of the Restore, Reinvest and Renew Program, which reinvests a portion of cannabis tax revenue into communities experiencing high rates of shootings, unemployment, child poverty and incarceration.
Her campaign touted her work in the Ag Connects Us All Initiative, which helped to highlight the ways in which the agriculture industry could address inequities and food security. It’s also been a way for her to stay connected to the more rural areas of the state.
Last year, Stratton led a Black maternal health initiative that invested $15 million in closing the maternal mortality gap through expanding home visits, capital dollars for community-birth centers, a free diaper program and a child tax credit for low-income families.
Among the potential contenders, Stratton can boast that she’s a statewide official — meaning she’s traveled across the state and has had a visible presence at events with Pritzker for more than six years. She can also take credit for many progressive policies passed during Pritzker’s two terms, including expanded abortion care, an assault weapons ban and raising the minimum wage. That may also serve as easy fodder for a Republican opponent, who could challenge her on some of the administration’s most liberal policies.
Stratton, along with a wide range of potential Democratic challengers, will have to do some aggressive fundraising to keep up with U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s massive $19 million and counting campaign haul. Pritzker is likely to help Stratton’s campaign with an endorsement or cash. But it’s unclear how much he’ll contribute.
In January, Stratton launched a federal political action committee called Level Up to help prepare for a Senate run, and to help support candidates, campaigns and causes that help the working class. The required filing deadline for the PAC is in July, so it’s unclear how much the PAC has already received.
The hybrid PAC, which is run by her allies, was also intended to support a potential bid. But Stratton must now create a separate campaign committee with the launch of her candidacy, per Federal Election Commission rules. Once she separates herself from the PAC, the money raised could be contributed to her new campaign.
Krishnamoorthi, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly are widely viewed as likely candidates in the Democratic primary. Beyond Stratton and members of Congress, there’s also a bench of potential contenders in the Illinois General Assembly.