- State
- Illinois
- Office / race
- U.S. Senate
- Party
- Democratic
- Reviewed
- October 24, 2026
Career timeline
The Democratic candidate on the ballot
Juliana Stratton is the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate listed as active for Illinois’s November 3, 2026, general election. The state Board of Elections also lists Republican Don Tracy and American Center Party candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. The official record confirms a general-election contest, distinct from the crowded primary that determined who would represent the Democratic Party on the statewide ballot.
Sources: Illinois State Board of Elections: general-election candidate list ↗
Chicago, law and mediation
Stratton grew up on Chicago’s South Side and graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and DePaul University’s College of Law. Her official biography describes work as a mediator, arbitrator and restorative-justice practitioner. Before statewide office, she also served as a parent representative and chair of the Kenwood Academy Local School Council, giving her an early elected role in local education governance.
From the state House to lieutenant governor
Stratton represented Illinois House District 5 before her election as lieutenant governor in 2018. She is Illinois’s 48th lieutenant governor. Her official biography also notes leadership of the National Lieutenant Governors Association and participation in the Hunt-Kean Leadership program. That progression moved her from neighborhood and district responsibilities into a statewide executive position with multiple policy and coordinating duties.
The work attached to her current office
The lieutenant governor’s office identifies Stratton with its Justice, Equity and Opportunity initiative and chairing the Illinois Council on Women and Girls, Rural Affairs Council, Military Economic Development Council and Illinois River Coordinating Council. It also lists responsibilities involving reinvestment and opioid prevention. Her portfolio therefore extends beyond criminal justice to rural policy, economic opportunity, environmental coordination and public health.
Sources: Illinois Lieutenant Governor: responsibilities and initiatives ↗
Winning the Senate nomination
Stratton defeated Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly in the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Senator Dick Durbin. Associated Press reporting described Governor JB Pritzker’s support and her advocacy of higher wages and Medicare for All. The result moved a sitting statewide executive into a federal general-election campaign, with a platform more expansive than the responsibilities of her current Illinois office.
Sources: Associated Press: Democratic Senate primary result ↗
Her affordability proposal
In ABC7 Chicago’s general-election coverage, Stratton proposed raising the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour as a way to help families cover essential expenses. Republican Don Tracy emphasized inflation, while Harrington discussed oil-market speculation. The contrast shows how the candidates approach a shared concern through different policy instruments. Stratton’s wage proposal is a campaign position requiring federal legislative action to become law.
Prepared with AI assistance. Source-based reporting checked on October 24, 2026. This article does not update automatically. Read our editorial standards.
