Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton is running her campaign for U.S. Senate with a promise to fight for LGBTQ+ rights and economic justice, while distinguishing herself from opponents by rejecting corporate PAC money.
With U.S. Sen. Dick Durban set to retire after nearly three decades in office, Stratton told Windy City Times the moment calls for “new voices, new energy, new perspectives” in Washington.
“In 30 years, this is the first time this seat is open—and it matters who’s in the seat,” Stratton said. “What I’m hearing from Illinois every day is they’re looking for a fighter, and I’m proud that I can look them back in the eye and tell them that I am that fighter.”
Stratton, who served in the Illinois House before becoming the state’s first Black lieutenant governor, is among a growing Democratic field looking to succeed Durbin. Her opponents include U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi.
Windy City Times is coordinating interviews with the major candidates in this race.
Stratton said she entered the race because of what she described as growing chaos in Washington, D.C., fueled by conservative lawmakers and a hostile Supreme Court.
“Look at the damage that’s being done—not just through the Trump administration, but through our Supreme Court and what congressional Republicans are doing,” Stratton said. “I really felt like we’d been led into a five-alarm fire, quite frankly.”
A record on LGBTQ+ rights and civil liberties
Stratton said defending LGBTQ+ rights, including for transgender youth, was one of the most urgent issues of the moment.
“People are scared, and it is scary,” Stratton said. “A question that I hear quite often—which it pains me that this is a question people have to ask in this country—they’re asking, ‘Are we going to be OK?’”
Stratton pointed to the rollbacks of federal protections, including the removal of LGBTQ+ resources from the national 988 crisis line and restrictions on gender-affirming care, as evidence of the danger facing LGBTQ+ communities.
“These aren’t just rhetorical. These are putting lives in danger,” Stratton said. “I’m not going to sit idly by and just watch this happen.”
Stratton—like Kelly—vowed to only confirm federal judges who support LGBTQ+ rights and pledged to fight back against the attacks on transgender people at the federal level.
Stratton said she would bring trans voices with her to Washington.
“I want trans Illinoisans, and especially our trans youth, to know that they have an ally in me, and that’s never going to change,” Stratton said. “I’m proud that Illinois is a safe haven, and I will always work to make sure that all of our LGBTQ+ community, including our trans communities, can feel safe and protected.”
As lieutenant governor, Stratton helped lead one of the most pro-LGBTQ+ state administrations in the country. The Pritzker-Stratton administration has required insurers to cover gender-affirming care, created a legal shield for patients and providers targeted by out-of-state bans and made Illinois a refuge for those seeking both abortion and trans health care.
In schools, the administration issued non-discrimination guidance to support trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming students, and implemented a law mandating the teaching of LGBTQ+ history. In 2024, the administration signed legislation removing barriers for Illinoisans born in other states to update gender markers on their birth certificates.
Stratton also played a leading role in Illinois’ fight against HIV. The administration launched the Getting to Zero and Getting to Zero 2.0 plans to end the epidemic by 2030, repealed the state’s HIV criminalization law and allowed pharmacists to dispense PrEP and PEP without a doctor’s referral.
Stratton said she plans to bring this work to Washington.
“In the face of these attacks, I’m not going to give an inch,” Stratton said.
Economic justice and working-class priorities
Stratton said her top Senate priorities would be rooted in middle-class opportunity, affordability and protecting democracy.
“I’m focused on policies that will really uplift the middle class,” Stratton said. “What I’ve heard over these last 10 years is that people really want life to be more affordable.”
Stratton cited her administration’s successful effort to raise Illinois’ minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 an hour as a model for federal action.
“$15 an hour is lifting so many people out of poverty, especially people in lower-wage jobs,” Stratton said. “But at the federal level, the minimum wage is still $7.25. I want to change that.”
Stratton also said she would push for a middle-class tax cut, funded by raising taxes on Americans earning more than $1 million annually. She also supports expanded investment in public education, trade schools and small business grants.
“When I think about my priorities, my priorities are to take what I think is the blueprint of what we have been able to get done here in Illinois and bring that to Washington,” Stratton said.
Stratton also expressed support for federal legislation to restore abortion rights and voting protections, including the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. She backed a national assault weapons ban modeled on Illinois’ 2023 law.
“We’ve protected abortion rights here in Illinois … and passed common-sense gun safety laws, including an assault weapons ban,” Stratton said. “I want to see us continue to do that kind of work in D.C.”
Stratton also said she would prioritize comprehensive immigration reform, particularly a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and Dreamers, and stronger protections for asylum seekers.
Stratton denounced the recent rise in Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and detentions, saying they undermined civil liberties and due process. Stratton said she would work with Illinois congressional leaders such as Reps. Delia Ramirez and Jesús “Chuy” García to overhaul the system.
“When it comes to enforcement … we would focus those resources on those that may be a threat to public safety, those that are convicted of violent crimes,” she said. “But not our neighbors, not people living alongside us.”
Endorsements and grassroots momentum
In May, Stratton earned endorsements from more than 50 LGBTQ+ community leaders across Illinois, including activists, nonprofit executives and elected officials.
“It means everything to me,” Stratton said. “They’ve been with me from the start, and I want them to know that I will always be with them and stand with this community.:
Stratton credited LGBTQ+ organizers with driving many of the state’s legislative advances in recent years.
“Some of the brightest lights in our state, some of the smartest organizers and boldest leaders in Illinois come from the LGBTQ+ community,” Stratton said. “To know that they are on my side … I’m going to be an advocate for each and every one of you while I’m in Washington, D.C.”
As she continues to build momentum, Stratton said she’s drawing a sharp line between herself and establishment-backed candidates—by refusing money from corporate PACs.
“This campaign really is about Illinois families, and it’s not about corporate special interests,” Stratton said. “I’m going to have to work harder and I’m going to have to work smarter to win, but I just really believe in the movement that we’re building.”