Democratic Party of Illinois

Juliana Stratton, Illinois's Democratic lieutenant governor, has won the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, defeating Republican Don Tracy and third-party candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. in a result called moments after polls closed. Stratton, who won her primary with about 40% of the vote and carried endorsements from Gov. JB Pritzker and former President Barack Obama, becomes the state's second-ever Black woman senator and, alongside Sen. Tammy Duckworth, makes Illinois the first state represented by two women of color in the chamber. Stratton drew strong support in Cook and collar counties, finishing with roughly 61% of the general-election vote to Tracy's share, while Harrington trailed well behind. Durbin's retirement ends his three-decade tenure as the Senate's No. 2 Democrat. Pritzker also won a third term as governor the same night, defeating Republican Darren Bailey.

Tracy, a lawyer and former Illinois GOP chairman, conceded after Stratton built a commanding lead. Stratton has drawn attention for sharp criticism of federal immigration enforcement, calling for ICE's abolition and condemning deployment threats of federalized troops in Illinois cities.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender, headlined the Democratic Party of Illinois' annual fundraiser at Navy Pier in Chicago, criticizing President Donald Trump and Republicans while rallying Democrats ahead of the midterm elections. Moore accused Trump's administration of "lining their own pockets" on issues including the Iran conflict and economic policy.

Moore, introduced by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker — who also has White House ambitions — recounted Pritzker's outreach after the 2024 collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, then drew parallels between Maryland and Illinois's civil rights legacies to applause from more than 800 attendees. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and Senate nominee Juliana Stratton also spoke, with Durbin criticizing Trump's spending priorities.

The event underscores early jockeying among Democratic governors positioning themselves for 2028 while shoring up party support in battleground-adjacent states ahead of the midterms.