Juliana Stratton

With Election Day a week away, Illinois Democrats are campaigning beyond state lines to aid party allies nationally. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi backed Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate Jon Rosenthal; Sen. Tammy Duckworth campaigned for Sherrod Brown in Ohio; Rahm Emanuel canvassed in New Hampshire; and Rep. Danny Davis and successor nominee La Shawn Ford campaigned for Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate David Crowley. Gov. JB Pritzker is focused on his own reelection, holding a large cash advantage and backing fellow Democrats financially.

Big money is also flowing into Illinois races, including Chicago school board contests, with GOP megadonors Dick and Elizabeth Uihlein and wealthy Democratic-aligned groups both spending heavily to shape outcomes from Springfield to Chicago.

Illinois Democrats are split on strategy ahead of potential midterm gains that could hand their party control of the House and possibly the Senate. Some, like Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who is running for Senate, favor confrontation, including refusing to confirm Trump nominees or fund ICE and potentially ending the filibuster. Others, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Bill Foster, favor combining aggressive oversight of Trump officials and businesses with legislative wins, while downplaying quick impeachment. Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Trump himself, warn that a Democratic majority would mean relentless investigations and a renewed impeachment push.

The debate reflects broader uncertainty over Democratic strategy and control of Congress following the November midterms, a key variable for prediction markets tracking the 2026 elections and any renewed impeachment proceedings.

Illinois voters head to the polls Nov. 3 to fill an open U.S. Senate seat and decide contests for governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton faces Republican Don Tracy for the Senate seat being vacated by Dick Durbin. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, running with new lieutenant governor pick Christian Mitchell, seeks a third term in a rematch against Darren Bailey, who has Donald Trump's endorsement and running mate Aaron Del Mar.

Incumbent Attorney General Kwame Raoul faces Republican Bob Fioretti, while Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, now also running for Chicago mayor, is challenged by Republican Diane Harris. With Comptroller Susana Mendoza not seeking re-election amid her own mayoral bid, Democrat Margaret Croke and Republican Bryan Drew are competing for that office. Treasurer Mike Frerichs seeks re-election against Republican Max Solomon. The races will shape state policy on taxes, spending oversight, abortion access and Illinois' relationship with the Trump administration, with early and mail voting available ahead of Election Day.

Illinois voters will choose a successor to retiring Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who is stepping down after 30 years in office. Three candidates are on the November ballot: Democrat Juliana Stratton, the state's Lieutenant Governor since 2019; Republican Don Tracy, an attorney and former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party; and Whitfield Harrington Jr., a pastor running under the newly forming American Center Party.

Stratton has emphasized affordability, proposing a $25 federal minimum wage and Medicare for all, with a focus on lowering healthcare costs. Tracy has criticized Democratic policies as driving up inflation and the cost of living, pledging to address root economic causes rather than embrace what he calls "socialism." Harrington, positioning his party as a centrist alternative, is campaigning on lowering food costs and making the first year of community college free.

The race is a closely watched contest in a reliably Democratic state, with cost-of-living concerns emerging as the dominant theme across all three campaigns.

Illinois voters will choose a successor to retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, who is stepping down after three decades in office. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, a Democrat who defeated Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in a contentious primary, faces former Illinois GOP chairman Don Tracy in the general election. Independent candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. is also on the ballot. The winner will join Sen. Tammy Duckworth in representing the blue-leaning state.

The candidates offer a sharp ideological contrast. Stratton is campaigning on progressive priorities including abolishing ICE, Medicare for All, restoring federal abortion protections, stronger gun restrictions, and opposition to President Trump's agenda. Tracy, a Springfield attorney and former chair of the Illinois Gaming Board, favors stronger border enforcement, market-based health care reforms, Second Amendment protections, and has defended parts of Trump's agenda while saying he won't be a "rubber stamp" for either party. Tracy has criticized Stratton for skipping several debates and forums. The two are scheduled to appear together Oct. 20 for a WTTW forum, their only planned joint appearance before Election Day.

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.