Ten candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Illinois on March 17, 2026

By

Joseph Brusgard

Ten candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Illinois on March 17, 2026. Three candidates have led in fundraising, media attention, and polling: Robin Kelly (D), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D), and Juliana Stratton (D). Incumbent Dick Durbin (D), who was first elected in 1996, announced his retirement on April 23, 2025.

The Chicago Crusader's staff writes that the race "[features] three distinct candidacies that offer starkly different visions for the state’s political future and the national Democratic agenda."

Kelly was elected to Illinois' 2nd Congressional District in 2013. She is campaigning on her record, saying, "I'm the only one federally that has a district like mine, urban, suburban, and rural, where I personally have delivered for each of those districts. I've been able to pass meaningful pieces of legislation around health care, saving lives." On her website, Kelly details a plan called "People over Profits," which includes proposals to pass a minimum tax on individuals earning $100 million a year, raise the minimum wage to $17, and pass Medicare for All.

Krishnamoorthi was elected to Illinois' 8th Congressional District in 2016. He said he would support a nationwide free school lunch program for kids, repealing cuts to SNAP and Medicare, and a tax credit for new homeowners in the first five years they own a home. Krishnamoorthi has also focused on his experience in business and government, saying, "You need to convince people that you can... stand up for their economics interests and address their economic pain points... as a former small business person and as someone who's worked on these issues in Congress, I feel uniquely positioned to deal with them."

Stratton was elected lieutenant governor in 2018. She is campaigning on her record, saying, "To me, Illinois is the blueprint. What Governor Pritzker and I have done here in Illinois is the blueprint that I want to take to Washington, D.C., and I want to fight for Illinoisans just like I've done for seven years." Stratton said she supports Medicare for All, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, and passing a federal version of  Illinois’ Birth Equity Initiative to reduce maternal mortality.

Each candidate has also focused on countering President Donald Trump's (R) policies. Kelly has campaigned on her record, saying, "Illinois needs someone who has worked in Congress, reached across the aisle in very challenging times, but still gotten the work done. And I’m not afraid to stand up to any bully." Krishnamoorthi said he would "[hold] the Trump administration accountable... whether it's on tariffs or whether it's with regard to ICE or any other agency of the government." Stratton has campaigned on her record in state government, saying, "What I'm just seeing is that the old playbook in Washington, D.C., isn't working. People aren't... looking for people to just talk. They want to see real action, and that's exactly what we've done in our administration."

The Wall Street Journal's John McCormick wrote, "The election is a test of [Governor J.B. Pritzker's (D)] clout." Pritzker endorsed Stratton shortly after her campaign announcement. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illi.) and Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch (D) also endorsed Stratton. Several labor unions, including the Teamsters and the American Federation of Government Employees, and former Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon (D), endorsed Krishnamoorthi. The Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee, BradyPAC, and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) endorsed Kelly.

As of the most recent financial reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, Kelly raised $2.7 million and spent $2.2 million, Krishnamoorthi raised $24.9 million and spent $6.8 million, and Stratton raised $2.1 million and spent $1.2 million.

Steve Botsford Jr. (D), Sean Brown (D), Awisi Bustos (D), Jonathan Dean (D), Bryan Maxwell (D), Kevin Ryan (D), and Christopher Swann (D) are also running.

This page focuses on Illinois' United States Senate Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the state's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages: