Stratton to Take Durbin's Senate Seat

Juliana Stratton will fill the Senate seat vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.

NBC News projects that the Illinois lieutenant governor has won the general election. She defeated former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. This victory clears the path for her move to Washington.

Stratton secured the Democratic nomination in March. She beat several high-profile opponents in the primary, including Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi. Gov. JB Pritzker, who has served alongside her for eight years, endorsed her bid. His support marked a major endorsement for her campaign.

Her platform focused on economic and policy changes. She advocated for raising the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour. The state minimum wage rose to $15 under her tenure as lieutenant governor. She plans to push for a higher standard at the national level.

Stratton also positioned herself as a counterweight to President Donald Trump’s administration. She opposed several of his policy goals. Her strongest stance involved the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

“It is a priority, because we are still seeing ICE terrorize our communities,” Stratton said. She called for the abolition of the agency during her campaign.

She will be seated in the Senate on January 3. The Democratic Party aims to hold a majority in the chamber. They are targeting seat pickups in North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, and Texas.