# 2026 United States Senate election in Illinois
The 2026 [United States Senate](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-senate) election in Illinois is being held on November 3, 2026, to choose Illinois's Class II U.S. senator for a six-year term beginning January 3, 2027. It is the state's first open Senate seat since 2010: incumbent Democrat Dick Durbin, the Senate's longtime No.[17](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/burris-wont-run-for-senate-seat-in-2010/) 2 Democrat, is retiring after five terms, and for the first time in 30 years no candidate named Durbin appears on the ballot.[1](https://apnews.com/article/c0929ebca88130da865ef6f272bccd81) • [2](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/07/illinois-u-s-senate-election-stratton-vs-tracy-voter-guide) Democratic nominee [Juliana Stratton](https://www.edgepedia.org/juliana-stratton), the state's lieutenant governor, faces Republican nominee [Don Tracy](https://www.edgepedia.org/don-tracy), a former chair of the Illinois Republican Party, along with independent Whitfield Harrington Jr. of the American Center Party.[2](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/07/illinois-u-s-senate-election-stratton-vs-tracy-voter-guide) • [3](https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/CandidateList.aspx?ElectionID=sejIrI%2BQmww%3D&OfficeID=b3l9OOoBLkjHeNv3Pz40NQ%3D%3D)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Election date | General election November 3, 2026; primary March 17, 2026[4](https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/CandidateOfficeFilingSearch.aspx) |
| Seat | Class II U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Democrat Dick Durbin; six-year term beginning January 3, 2027[5](https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29600/2026-Candidates-Guide-edited) |
| Democratic primary result | Juliana Stratton 507,689 votes (40.39%), Raja Krishnamoorthi 411,150 (32.71%), Robin Kelly 229,788 (18.28%)[6](https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx) |
| Republican primary result | Don Tracy 215,523 votes (39.96%), Jeannie Evans 122,840 (22.78%)[6](https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx) |
| Other ballot names | Whitfield Harrington Jr. (American Center Party), filed May 26, 2026[3](https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/CandidateList.aspx?ElectionID=sejIrI%2BQmww%3D&OfficeID=b3l9OOoBLkjHeNv3Pz40NQ%3D%3D) |
| Latest public poll | Public Policy Polling (Oct 1, 2026, 569 likely voters): Stratton 49%, Tracy 36%[7](https://www.onpointpolitics.us/polls/il/senate) |
| Forecast rating | Safe Democratic; one model gives Stratton a 97% chance of winning with an expected margin of D+15.7[8](https://whoshowsup.net/race/senate-il) |
## Background
Durbin's retirement created a rare opening in a state that has not elected a Republican senator since 2016, when [Mark Kirk](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-kirk) was defeated by [Tammy Duckworth](https://www.edgepedia.org/tammy-duckworth).[9](https://apnews.com/article/8a6c6cb339f6d57af6d1abdf1d3d36bd) The seat anchors a midterm election in which control of the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority, is at stake.[2](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/07/illinois-u-s-senate-election-stratton-vs-tracy-voter-guide) Illinois was one of six open House and Senate seats in the reliably Democratic state created by a wave of congressional retirements.[10](https://apnews.com/article/1ff1443c9989df7313eabc4e75b3ea00)
Candidates for established parties filed for the primary between October 27 and November 3, 2025; Stratton filed on October 27, 2025, and Tracy on October 31, 2025.[3](https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/CandidateList.aspx?ElectionID=sejIrI%2BQmww%3D&OfficeID=b3l9OOoBLkjHeNv3Pz40NQ%3D%3D) • [5](https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29600/2026-Candidates-Guide-edited)
## Democratic primary
The Democratic contest centered on three candidates: Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, U.S. Representative [Robin Kelly](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-kelly), and U.S. Representative [Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://www.edgepedia.org/raja-krishnamoorthi).[11](https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-03-13/who-will-win-the-u-s-senate-primaries-in-illinois-lets-look-at-the-data) Stratton had the endorsement of Governor JB Pritzker, whose name has been floated as a 2028 presidential contender; Pritzker put millions into her election, campaigned alongside her, and appeared in a television ad aimed at President Trump.[12](https://apnews.com/article/f9432112c459e87fdbfea0bdbcd4e492) • [9](https://apnews.com/article/8a6c6cb339f6d57af6d1abdf1d3d36bd)
**Money did not decide the outcome.** Krishnamoorthi dwarfed the field in fundraising, with about $30 million raised and roughly $28 million spent, including support from Fairshake, a cryptocurrency PAC that spent $7.7 million on television ads in the race.[11](https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-03-13/who-will-win-the-u-s-senate-primaries-in-illinois-lets-look-at-the-data) • [13](https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/senate-democrats-primary-illinois-krishnamoorthi) Stratton had raised about $4 million and Kelly about $3.3 million, while Pritzker donated $5 million to a PAC supporting Stratton.[11](https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-03-13/who-will-win-the-u-s-senate-primaries-in-illinois-lets-look-at-the-data) Public polling varied in percentages but not storyline: Krishnamoorthi led most polls, registering between 29% and 43% in polls within six months of the primary, but late surveys showed momentum for Stratton, and 15% to 30% of polled voters remained undecided.[11](https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-03-13/who-will-win-the-u-s-senate-primaries-in-illinois-lets-look-at-the-data)
On March 17, 2026, Stratton won the primary with 40.39% of the vote to 32.71% for Krishnamoorthi and 18.28% for Kelly, edging out two sitting members of the U.S. House.[6](https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx) • [12](https://apnews.com/article/f9432112c459e87fdbfea0bdbcd4e492) The race was widely read as a test of whether money talks in 2026, and local reporting noted that the biggest campaign coffers did not always produce winners.[13](https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/senate-democrats-primary-illinois-krishnamoorthi) • [14](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/19/chicago-mayoral-campaign-funds-disclosures)
## Republican primary
The Republican field included former state party chair Don Tracy, attorney Jeannie Evans, businessman Casey Chlebek, and others.[11](https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-03-13/who-will-win-the-u-s-senate-primaries-in-illinois-lets-look-at-the-data) [Fundraising](https://www.edgepedia.org/fundraising) was modest compared with the Democratic primary: Tracy led with about $2.1 million raised, Evans just over $500,000, and Chlebek about $100,000.[11](https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-03-13/who-will-win-the-u-s-senate-primaries-in-illinois-lets-look-at-the-data) Only one public poll of the primary had been released, a January survey in which 84% of Republican primary voters were undecided.[11](https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-03-13/who-will-win-the-u-s-senate-primaries-in-illinois-lets-look-at-the-data)
Tracy won the primary with 39.96% of the vote, followed by Evans at 22.78%, Chlebek at 11.17%, R. Cary Capparelli at 10.55%, Pamela Denise Long at 9.98%, and Jimmy Lee Tillman II at 5.57%.[6](https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx)
## General election campaign
Stratton has served as Pritzker's lieutenant governor since 2019 and was a state representative before that; Tracy chaired the state GOP from 2021 to 2024 and is a [Springfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/springfield) attorney and businessman who previously chaired the Illinois Gaming Board.[2](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/07/illinois-u-s-senate-election-stratton-vs-tracy-voter-guide) Reporting describes a sharp ideological choice: Stratton supports abolishing ICE, Medicare for All, restoring federal abortion protections, and an assault weapons ban, and has made opposition to Trump's agenda a central campaign theme; Tracy favors stronger border enforcement, lowering health care costs through competition and deregulation, leaving abortion largely to the states, and emphasizes Second Amendment protections, while saying he would not be a "rubber stamp" for either party.[2](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/07/illinois-u-s-senate-election-stratton-vs-tracy-voter-guide)
Tracy has criticized Stratton for declining several candidate forums and debate opportunities; the candidates' only planned joint appearance before Election Day was a live WTTW forum on October 20, from which Harrington Jr. was not scheduled to participate.[2](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/07/illinois-u-s-senate-election-stratton-vs-tracy-voter-guide) Early voting was underway in early October.[2](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/07/illinois-u-s-senate-election-stratton-vs-tracy-voter-guide)
## Polling and forecasts
Only one public poll of the general election matchup had been released by mid-October 2026: Public Policy Polling, conducted for Chicago News Weekly, surveyed 569 likely voters on September 30 to October 1 and found Stratton at 49% and Tracy at 36%, a 13-point margin.[7](https://www.onpointpolitics.us/polls/il/senate) Aggregators rate the race Safe Democratic. One forecast model gives Stratton a 97% chance of winning with an expected margin of Stratton +15.7, noting the 2024 presidential result in Illinois was D+11.1; another model's margin is D+25.8.[8](https://whoshowsup.net/race/senate-il) • [15](https://www.tpsielections.com/polls/il/senate) Race ratings from the Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections all place the seat in their solid or safe Democratic categories.[16](https://politikool.com/polls/senate/illinois)
## References
1. [AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Illinois state primary, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/c0929ebca88130da865ef6f272bccd81)
2. [Illinois U.S. Senate election: Stratton vs. Tracy voter guide, Axios Chicago](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/07/illinois-u-s-senate-election-stratton-vs-tracy-voter-guide)
3. [Candidate List, General Election 11/3/2026, Illinois State Board of Elections](https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/CandidateList.aspx?ElectionID=sejIrI%2BQmww%3D&OfficeID=b3l9OOoBLkjHeNv3Pz40NQ%3D%3D)
4. [Candidate Office Filing Search, Illinois State Board of Elections](https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/CandidateOfficeFilingSearch.aspx)
5. [2026 Candidates Guide: United States Senator, McLean County](https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29600/2026-Candidates-Guide-edited)
6. [Election Vote Totals Results, 2026 General Primary, Illinois State Board of Elections](https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx)
7. [Illinois Senate polls 2026: Stratton vs Tracy polling average, On Point Politics](https://www.onpointpolitics.us/polls/il/senate)
8. [Juliana Stratton vs. Don Tracy polls and 2026 forecast (Illinois Senate), Who Shows Up](https://whoshowsup.net/race/senate-il)
9. [Illinois' open US Senate race tests Gov. JB Pritzker's influence, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/8a6c6cb339f6d57af6d1abdf1d3d36bd)
10. [Congress is on track for record retirements, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/1ff1443c9989df7313eabc4e75b3ea00)
11. [Who will win the U.S. Senate primaries in Illinois? Let's look at the data, NPR Illinois](https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-03-13/who-will-win-the-u-s-senate-primaries-in-illinois-lets-look-at-the-data)
12. [Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton wins Democratic primary for US Senate, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/f9432112c459e87fdbfea0bdbcd4e492)
13. [Illinois' $50 million primary experiment, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/senate-democrats-primary-illinois-krishnamoorthi)
14. [Mayoral campaign reports show funding disparities, Axios Chicago](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/10/19/chicago-mayoral-campaign-funds-disclosures)
15. [Illinois Senate polls 2026: Stratton vs Tracy polling average, On Point Politics (TPSI)](https://www.tpsielections.com/polls/il/senate)
16. [Illinois Senate Polls 2026: Stratton vs. Tracy, PolitiKool](https://politikool.com/polls/senate/illinois)
17. [Burris Wont Run for Senate Seat in 2010, cbsnews.com](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/burris-wont-run-for-senate-seat-in-2010/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Elections and representation › Elections and referendums › United States election events › United States federal election events › US Senate election events › Senate elections in Midwestern states (state series)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license