Stratton Wins Senate Primary, Pritzker’s Political Power on Display in Illinois Races

Illinois’ Democratic primary elections on Tuesday garnered significant attention, particularly as a test of Governor JB Pritzker’s political influence ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run. Outside spending from pro-Israel and pro-crypto groups heavily influenced House primaries in the closing weeks. Here are key takeaways from Tuesday’s results.

Stratton Poised to Make History

If elected in the general election – where she is heavily favored in the Democratic stronghold of Illinois – Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton will become the sixth Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. A Chicago native and attorney, Stratton served as a state representative for two years before becoming Pritzker’s lieutenant governor in 2018. Her win was bolstered by strong support in Chicago and remaining competitive in more suburban and rural areas.

Stratton framed herself as a strong opponent to the Trump administration, highlighted in a viral campaign ad featuring voters expressing strong disapproval of the former president. She has pledged to push for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a message resonating after the Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns in Chicago. She also criticized donations made by a Palantir executive to her opponent, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, noting Palantir’s software development for ICE.

“What people are tired of in Washington is the status quo … they’re looking for someone to go to the mat fighting for them,” Stratton told CBS News in an interview.

Stratton received endorsements from Senators Tammy Duckworth and Elizabeth Warren. She has stated that, if elected, she would not support Senator Chuck Schumer as the leader of the Democratic caucus.

Pritzker Demonstrates Political Strength Ahead of Potential 2028 Run

Pritzker has been closely aligned with Stratton’s Senate campaign from the outset, appearing in several of her campaign’s television advertisements and a pro-Stratton super PAC, Illinois Future PAC, which he funded with at least $5 million of his own money. On Election Day, he joined Stratton at Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen in Chicago for a last-minute campaign push.

“I’m not choosing candidates because I’ve taken a poll ahead of time and decided that I can only support a candidate that I know absolutely 100% is going to win,” Pritzker said according to Politico. “When you’ve got somebody that is hyper-qualified for the job, that’s who I’m supporting.”

His support for Stratton carried risks, as she trailed in polling for months although Krishnamoorthi, with a substantial fundraising advantage, ran television advertisements since July. The Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus expressed frustration with the governor’s involvement, stating, “Quite frankly, [Pritzker’s] behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten by any of us,” according to Punchbowl News.

Pritzker, seeking a rare third term as Illinois governor, has not indicated plans for a 2028 presidential campaign. Although, Stratton’s win strengthens his political position, potentially providing a close ally in the Senate.

“It’s no secret that Black women are the backbone of the Democratic party, and if you are part of their ascendant leadership, that’s a huge win for a white male who may want to run for President,” said Democratic operative Hyma Moore.

“Whatever he does, I can say if that’s what he decides to do, he would be wonderful at it,” Stratton told reporters. “I think he’d make a great president.”

Outside Spending from AIPAC, Crypto and AI Sees Mixed Results

Pro-Israel, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence committees contributed over $52.7 million in outside spending for the Senate primary and several House Democratic primaries in the Chicagoland area, with mixed outcomes.

The pro-crypto Fairshake PAC spent approximately $10 million supporting Krishnamoorthi, according to Federal Election Committee filings. Their preferred candidates won in Illinois’ 2nd, 8th, and 13th Districts, but lost in the 7th District. “We are just getting started in our nationwide fight for American innovation,” said Fairshake PAC spokesperson Geoff Vetter.

The pro-artificial intelligence Think Big PAC spent over $1 million backing 8th District winner Melissa Bean and a similar amount supporting Jesse Jackson Jr.’s unsuccessful comeback attempt in Illinois’ 2nd district.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was the largest spender, investing over $21 million across four Chicagoland races. They supported committees with broad names that did not explicitly mention Israel in their advertisements. The group saw a split result in Tuesday’s House races, with their preferred candidates winning in the 2nd and 7th districts and losing in the 8th and 9th districts. AIPAC claimed a broader victory, stating that “half a dozen anti-Israel candidates” had lost their primaries and indicated plans to spend more in future 2026 primaries.

AIPAC’s involvement was particularly prominent in the 9th District, where they spent over $7 million. The eventual winner, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, campaigned against the group’s involvement, reflecting a shift in the Democratic party’s stance on pro-Israel positions.

Biss, the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, supports a two-state solution and stated that the “oppression of the Palestinian people is an unacceptable stain on the world and the Jewish people as well.”

“AIPAC found out the hard way. The 9th district is not for sale,” Biss said Tuesday night. “This victory belongs to J-Street,” he added, referencing a liberal pro-Israel outside group that backed Biss.

Progressive Candidates Fall Short

Following recent victories for progressive candidates like Zohran Mamdani in New York City and Analilia Mejia in New Jersey, further-left progressives in Illinois fell short in Tuesday’s primaries. Kat Abughazaleh, a Palestinian American journalist, lost to Biss in the Illinois’ 9th District by just over 3 points. Junaid Ahmed lost to Bean in Illinois’ 8th District by 5 points, and Illinois state Senator Robert Peters placed third in the Illinois’ 2nd District.

Despite endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders and involvement from the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Justice Democrats group, the progressive wing of the Democratic party did not achieve significant gains in Illinois.

High Turnout

Turnout for the state’s Senate primary was the highest since former President Barack Obama’s Democratic Senate primary in 2004, with over 1.1 million votes cast. Voters in Chicago and Cook County also set a record for early voting, surpassing the previous record of 106,252 early ballots cast for the 2018 primaries.