Juliana Stratton Elected to Replace Dick Durbin in Illinois Senate

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Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (D) has been elected to replace retiring five-term Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) in the U.S. Senate, securing her place in Washington with a decisive victory over Republican Don Tracy. The Associated Press declared Stratton the winner of the race, with over 70.6% of the vote, significantly outpacing Tracy’s 28.1%. Whitfield Harrington Jr., of the American Constitution Party, received 1.3% of the vote.

Stratton’s Vision for Immigration Reform

Stratton has long advocated for significant changes to U.S. immigration policy. During an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press NOW in March, she called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating, “I’ve made it clear that I don’t think that this agency can be reformed.” She emphasized the need for investing in immigration judges, social services, and community-based resources, while criticizing the criminalization of immigrant communities. Stratton also called for removing ICE from American cities and criticized its placement under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), arguing that it approaches immigrant communities through a “punitive lens” rather than focusing on support and pathways to citizenship. She also supported providing a pathway for DACA recipients and DREAMers.

Addressing Redistricting and Democratic Strength

During an August 2025 appearance on CNN’s News Central, Stratton responded to former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger’s remarks about mid-decade redistricting being a “pure power grab.” She defended Illinois Democrats’ dominance in the state’s congressional districts, stating, “We have competitive districts here in Illinois. And the reason why those competitive districts have gone to Democrats is because Gov. Pritzker (D) and I have delivered big things for the people of Illinois.” She cited protecting reproductive freedoms, civil rights, job creation, and moving Illinois toward a clean energy future as key factors in Democrats’ success in competitive districts.

Condemning Authoritarianism and Trump

On September 1, 2025, during an appearance on CNN’s The Lead, Stratton condemned the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement, describing agents as “snatching people off the streets and stuffing them into unmarked cars” with “no due process whatsoever.” She called for peaceful protests and warned of the rise of authoritarianism, stating, “We are not going to roll out the red carpet for a wannabe dictator like Donald Trump.”

Source: Breitbart