Abolish-ICE Democrat Stratton Wins Illinois Senate Seat Over Tracy

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton will be the state’s next U.S. senator, after NBC News and CBS News projected Tuesday night that the Democrat defeated Republican Don Tracy in the race to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.

NBC News announced its projection in a post on X shortly after polls closed in Illinois at 7 p.m. Central, and CBS News followed with its own projection minutes later. The Hill reported that Decision Desk HQ also projected Stratton the winner.

BREAKING: Democrat Juliana Stratton wins U.S. Senate race in Illinois, NBC News projects. https://t.co/gxncH9ULZ1 pic.twitter.com/sib63gYnDd

— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 4, 2026

The seat opened up when Durbin announced last April that he would not seek reelection, according to CBS Chicago. Durbin has represented Illinois in the Senate since 1997, ending a run of nearly 30 years, CBS Chicago reported.

Stratton has served as Gov. JB Pritzker’s lieutenant governor since 2019, according to The Hill, and before that she served one term in the Illinois House. Pritzker backed her bid, and The Hill reported that the governor contributed $10 million to a PAC supporting her during a crowded March primary. NBC Chicago reported that Stratton beat several high-profile Democrats in that primary, including Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi.

The Hill described Stratton as among the more progressive Democratic Senate candidates on the ballot this year. According to The Hill, she supports Medicare for All, a $25 minimum wage and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. NBC Chicago reported that she has called abolishing ICE “a priority,” saying, “we are still seeing ICE terrorize our communities.”

That platform puts Illinois’ incoming senator well to the left of most of the Senate, and conservatives are likely to point to it as a preview of the kind of agenda Pritzker-aligned Democrats want to bring to Washington. Stratton also made clear she intends to act as a check on President Donald Trump’s administration, NBC Chicago reported.

The Hill reported that Stratton has said she will not support Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York for Democratic leader, a signal that the party’s progressive wing is gaining strength inside the caucus.

Tracy, an attorney and former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, won his own March primary against five other Republicans, according to CBS Chicago. He campaigned on reducing government spending, affordable energy, lowering drug and insurance prices and securing the border, CBS Chicago reported, and pledged not to be a “rubber stamp” for either party.

Tracy did not receive much backing from national Republicans, who focused their money on competitive races and protecting incumbents, and he largely self-funded his campaign, according to The Hill.

Early returns showed a wide margin. With about 10% of the vote counted, Stratton led Tracy roughly 69% to 30%, according to results posted by CBS News. Those figures were expected to shift as more ballots were counted across the state.

The Hill noted that the win is also a political boost for Pritzker as he weighs his future, including a possible run for president.

Stratton’s victory keeps the seat in Democratic hands. Because Durbin is a Democrat, the result does not change the balance of the Senate.

When she takes office in January, Stratton will join fellow Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth in Illinois’ Senate delegation, The Hill reported. CBS Chicago noted that she will be just the second Black woman to represent Illinois in the Senate, following Carol Moseley Braun.

Sources

• NBC News on X
• CBS News on X
• CBS Chicago
• NBC Chicago
• The Hill

Reporting by Daily Beltway.