Takeaways from Illinois primary elections

CBS News
March 18, 2026
3 min read

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Illinois Democratic primary produced Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton as nominee to face Republican Don Tracy for Dick Durbin's Senate seat.

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Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic primary in Illinois for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by longtime Sen. Dick Durbin, according to CBS News projections. She will face Republican Don Tracy, the former chair of the Illinois Republican Party, in November's general election. The race to replace Durbin, who has held the seat since 1997, is shaping up as a competitive matchup in a state that has trended Democratic in recent statewide elections. Stratton's victory in the primary positions her as the Democratic establishment's preferred candidate to retain the seat, while Tracy's nomination signals the GOP's effort to make gains in a traditionally Democratic state. The winner will serve the remainder of Durbin's term and potentially a full six-year term beginning in 2025.

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