Illinois Senate race will see Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton face Don Tracy in November
Illinois voters have now set the stage for November in the race to replace longtime U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton came out on top of a fierce Democratic primary with 10 total candidates and three frontrunners. With most votes counted, Stratton received about 40% of the vote statewide.
Stratton spoke to the media at Chicago's Union Station Wednesday morning, reiterating her goals to represent all of the people of Illinois in the Senate and make their voices heard.
"I think [our performance downstate] is an example of what this campaign was always about: making sure the voices of the people that I represent, and have represented for the last seven years, are at the center of the work that I do," she said.
She celebrated her victory last night with supporters in Chicago, including Gov. JB Pritzker.
Trailing behind her was U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi with 33% of the vote and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly with 18%. Stratton had the backing of Pritzker and Illinois' other U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth during her campaign.
Tuesday night she thanked all involved in her campaign, as well as voters, and even her opponents, while remaining focused on the goal ahead.
"As we turn to face a Republican opponent in the general election, we will take on new challenges and new attacks from a candidate unfit to stand up to Donald Trump, uninterested in fighting for your needs, and unwilling to challenge the status quo that has failed our families," she said.
At latest count, Krishnamoorthi received 81,000 fewer votes than Stratton, despite a major financial advantage. He raised more than $30 million, the most of any candidate in Illinois this election cycle and also one of the largest totals in the country.
Wednesday morning Stratton said she will work to earn the trust and the votes of Illinoisans who voted for the other candidates.
"I'm going to work hard every single day to make sure I can earn the support of those that perhaps weren't with me in this primary campaign, and I want to represent all Illinoisans and take their voices with me to the Senate," she said. "I represented the entire state for the last seven years, and I know the uniqueness of each region and their different needs, and I think its going to be important that I get out there and talk to everyone. I want to fight for them, too."
On the Republican side, voters selected Don Tracy with almost 40% of the vote. He is a Springfield attorney and former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party.
Tracy has campaigned on lowering the cost of living for working families and said he would fight for Illinois in Washington without being a rubber stamp for either party.
Tracy is expected to appear at an event with several other Republican candidates in Naperville Wednesday afternoon.
Illinois last had a Republican in the Senate a decade ago, when Mark Kirk was defeated by current Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
