2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
High confidenceHigh confidenceBacked by government records or the candidate's own official statements, with agreement across several independent sources.What would raise it: Nothing missing — this is the strongest evidence tier.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Making life more affordable for working and middle-class families.
Abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which she accuses of excessive force, racial profiling and inhumane detention conditions.
Protecting abortion access, which she legislated on at the state level.
Expanding economic opportunity across the whole state, including rural Illinois rather than only Chicago.
Raising the minimum wage and protecting health care funding.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois since January 2019.
Illinois State Representative for a Chicago district before that.
As a state legislator led the fight for HB 40, ensuring access to abortion care regardless of insurance coverage; as Lieutenant Governor worked to pass the Reproductive Health Act, enshrining abortion access in state law.
Leads the Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative; chairs the Illinois Council on Women and Girls, the Governor's Rural Affairs Council, the Military Economic Development Council and the Illinois River Coordinating Council; chairs the R3 Board and co-chairs the Opioid Prevention and Recovery Steering Committee.
Was the only candidate in the Democratic Senate debate to call for abolishing ICE outright.
Won the March 17 2026 Democratic primary with about 40% over Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly.
Endorsed by Gov. JB Pritzker and by EMILYs List.
Part of the administration that approved a record $55.9 billion state budget including more than $800 million in new and increased taxes.
Arguments in favor
She has a concrete record on reproductive rights — leading HB 40 as a legislator and helping pass the Reproductive Health Act as Lieutenant Governor, putting abortion access into Illinois law.
— Juliana Stratton for U.S. Senate campaign and EMILYs List, which endorsed her
She beat two sitting members of Congress in her own primary, running on affordability and economic opportunity for working and middle-class families.
— NBC Chicago reporting on her primary victory
Her opponent marches in lockstep with Donald Trump even as Illinois families are crushed by his dangerous, extreme and increasingly unpopular agenda.
— A spokesperson for the Stratton campaign
Arguments against
She has stood shoulder to shoulder with Gov. Pritzker and the politicians passing really big spending budgets, raising taxes and growing government — rewarding themselves while Illinois families struggle just to keep up.
— Don Tracy, her Republican opponent
Her call to abolish ICE outright is a liability Republicans can easily weaponise; she was alone among the Democratic primary field in going that far, and she dismissed the concern when it was raised.
— Her Democratic primary opponents Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, who took more qualified positions, as reported by CBS News
She has refused to commit to debating, and her policies are too liberal for the state as a whole.
— Don Tracy, her Republican opponent
What we couldn’t verify
What she would replace ICE with, and how immigration enforcement would function under her proposal.
Whether she will agree to debate her opponent.
Her position on the filibuster.
Her response to the state budget and tax criticism.
Lowering the cost of living and slowing cost-of-living increases.
Opposing state tax increases and large spending budgets.
Public safety.
Economic opportunity and support for working families.
Representing communities across Illinois rather than only the Chicago area.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, February 2021 – 2024; resigned weeks before the 2024 Republican National Convention.
Chairman of the Illinois Gaming Board, 2015–2019.
Lawyer and business owner from Springfield; born 1949 or 1950 in Urbana.
Held civic leadership roles including President of the Sangamon County Bar Association and President of the Abraham Lincoln Association.
Survived a no-confidence vote by party leadership in 2022.
Won the March 17 2026 Republican primary with about 40% over attorney Jeannie Evans.
Has not previously held elected office.
Arguments in favor
'I'm not sure there's a tax that they didn't want to increase, and that increases the cost of living for all working families' — his campaign is built on the record $55.9 billion state budget and more than $800 million in new taxes approved by the administration his opponent serves in.
— Don Tracy
He is running on affordability, public safety and economic opportunity rather than national culture-war issues, and on representing communities throughout Illinois.
— Don Tracy for Illinois campaign
He has run large state institutions — the Gaming Board and the state party — and comes to the race with executive and legal experience rather than a career in elected office.
— Don Tracy for Illinois campaign
Arguments against
He 'continues to march in lockstep with Donald Trump even as Illinois families are being crushed by his dangerous, extreme, and increasingly unpopular agenda.'
— A spokesperson for the Juliana Stratton campaign
His tenure leading the state Republican Party ended in failure — he survived a no-confidence vote in 2022, presided over a chaotic 2024 state convention that ousted the party vice chair, and quit weeks before the national convention citing intraparty power struggles.
— Contemporaneous reporting by Capitol News Illinois and the Chicago Sun-Times
Grassroots Republicans celebrated his departure as a 'cleansing' of the state party: 'Fake republicans got us into this mess. Real Republicans standing firm will get us out.'
— Former state Sen. Darren Bailey, the 2022 Republican nominee for governor
What we couldn’t verify
His positions on abortion, immigration and foreign policy could not be established from sources located.
Whether he has President Trump's endorsement.
His campaign fundraising, which in a state this expensive is decisive.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Open seat: Democratic incumbent Dick Durbin is retiring after five terms and more than four decades in Congress. Roster established from NBC News, the Washington Post, Capitol News Illinois and ABC7 Chicago, cross-checked. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the March 17 2026 Democratic primary with about 40% in a three-way race, defeating U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (33.6%) and Robin Kelly (18.4%). Don Tracy won the Republican primary with about 40% over attorney Jeannie Evans. Sources give Stratton's share as 39.4% or 40.4% depending on count completeness, so an approximate figure is used. No minor-party or independent Senate candidate could be confirmed for the November ballot. Republicans have not won a Senate election in Illinois since 2010.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Illinois ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Illinois State Board of Elections.