Polling Average
40%30%20%10%0%
22.3%
34.0%
18%
11.6%
Illinois Democratic Senate nominee?
$560.1K
MAR 18, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleLieutenant Governor
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age60 years old (Sep 8, 1965)
GenderFemale
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LocationIllinois
BackgroundLieutenant Governor of Illinois
EducationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notable personal detailsJuliana Stratton is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the 48th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois since 2019. She previously represented the 5th District in the Illinois House of Representatives. Her professional background includes mediation, arbitration, and work in public safety and justice initiatives. She earned degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and DePaul University College of Law.
SourcesShowHide
ltgov.illinois.govilsos.govfec.goven.wikipedia.orgjulianastratton.comfacebook.comaxios.comwill.illinois.eduillinois.govcbsnews.comru.ruwiki.ruwikidata.orggiffords.orgnprillinois.orglinktr.eees.wikipedia.orgnlga.usmy.ilga.govwindycitytimes.comwglt.orgchicago.suntimes.comcnwmedia.comtheintelligencer.comchicagodefender.comshawlocal.comyahoo.comcapitolnewsillinois.comgov.illinois.govjudiciary.senate.govapnews.comdnr.illinois.goveverytown.orgwashingtonpost.combostonglobe.comfoxnews.comwww-staging.washingtonpost.comnoticias.foxnews.comsfchronicle.comcontext-cdn.washingtonpost.comdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgvoterguide.ballotpedia.orgcba.ballotpedia.orgfrontpage.ballotpedia.orgcdn.ballotpedia.orgcommons.wikimedia.orgcreativecommons.orgupload.wikimedia.orgcongress.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports raising taxes on very high-income earners (proposes taxing those earning more than $1 million) while expanding targeted tax relief for middle- and lower-income households such as enlarging the Earned Income Tax Credit and proposing a middle-class tax cut. Advocates using revenue from higher taxes on the wealthy to fund middle-class tax relief and expanded investments in education and workforce programs.
Healthcare
Supports treating healthcare as a right and has publicly endorsed Medicare for All while also advocating expansion of access, lowering prescription costs, protections for reproductive care, and state policies to reduce barriers to care. Priorities include making care affordable, protecting rural hospitals, ending insurance practices that block treatment, and codifying reproductive services as federal protections.
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Immigration & Border
Supports comprehensive immigration reform including a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and undocumented immigrants, stronger protections for asylum seekers, and has called for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while opposing broad ICE raids and detentions.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Juliana Stratton supports protecting and expanding access to abortion and reproductive healthcare, describes Illinois as a safe haven for reproductive care, and has joined coalitions and testified in favor of legal protections for abortion access. She frames abortion access as healthcare and an economic and civil-rights issue and advocates for laws that shield patients and providers from out-of-state restrictions.
Climate & Energy
Supports ambitious clean energy targets and policies to phase out fossil fuels and expand renewable energy and equitable clean-energy job programs; backs legislation setting a path to 100% clean energy by 2050 and state-level measures to increase renewable generation and invest in climate justice and workforce development.
Public Safety & Guns
Juliana Stratton supports expanded gun-safety measures including universal/expanded background checks and an assault-weapons ban, and she has promoted treating gun violence as a public-health issue and investing in prevention and intervention programs. She has participated in gun-violence-prevention forums and accepted endorsements from major gun-safety organizations. Her public statements call for common-sense gun laws and stronger protections to keep firearms out of the hands of people who should not have them.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedMar 14, 2026
Juliana Stratton is a leading Democrat running for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, in a crowded primary that also includes Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly. She has campaigned as a progressive and has Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s backing, but that endorsement has sparked intra-party tension, including criticism from the Congressional Black Caucus aligned with Kelly. Stratton has also drawn attention for a controversial anti-Trump TV ad and for reports highlighting corporate-linked donations despite her pledge to run a grassroots-funded campaign. Polling has been mixed, with Stratton and Krishnamoorthi trading leads in different surveys.
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Articles
DQDavenport Quad-City Times3 months ago
Teen wants politicians to talk about the future
Positive
PJPeoria Journal Star3 months ago
Is Raja Krishnamoorthi leading in the polls?
Positive
CTChicago Tribune3 months ago
Top Democratic candidates meet before Illinois Senate primary
Neutral
N5NBC 5 Chicago3 months ago
Illinois Senate Election 2026 profile: Juliana Stratton
Positive
Polls
Illinois Democratic Senate nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$4.8M
$3.6M
$2.4M
$1.2M
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$4.8M
$695.2K
$4.1M
$273.1K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements