Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton Enters US Senate Race to Replace Dick Durbin

The Democratic Primary field to replace Sen. Dick Durbin, who has served in office since 1997, is likely to get more competitive

Illinois Democratic candidate for governor J.B. Pritzker and his lieutenant governor pick, Juliana Stratton, arrive during his primary election night victory event in Chicago on March 20, 2018. Pritzker beat won the democratic primary against challengers Chris Kennedy and Daniel Bliss in the governor's race. Joshua Lott/Getty Images

NEW YORK CITY—Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (D-Ill.) on April 25 entered the 2026 U.S. Senate election, in the Democratic Primary for the race to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

Durbin, the Senate minority whip who is the second-highest ranking member of the Democratic Caucus, has served in Congress since 1983 and in the Senate since 1997. He announced that he would not seek reelection on April 23. His seat in the deep blue state of Illinois is widely considered a safe election for Democrats, where the primary contest matters more than the general election. Statewide office in Illinois has previously been a stepping stone for higher office for many Democratic politicians, most notably President Barack Obama, who was Durbin’s colleague as Illinois’s junior senator from 2005 to 2008.