Don Tracy, a 75-year-old Springfield attorney and former state party chairman, won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Illinois, setting up a November contest against Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in a race widely viewed as favoring Democrats following the retirement of longtime Sen. Dick Durbin.
Tracy's victory came despite entering the race with relatively low statewide recognition. A January poll conducted by Emerson College found that 84% of Republican primary voters were undecided, underscoring the fragmented nature of the field before his late consolidation of support.
His campaign was buoyed by endorsements and a fundraising total of approximately $2.1 million, significantly outpacing rivals in a low-profile primary.
Tracy framed his candidacy around regional representation, emphasizing that Illinois' political leadership is heavily concentrated in Chicago and Cook County. With Durbin's departure, he argued that large portions of the state lack a voice in statewide office.
"Illinois working families need someone who will fight for them in Washington," Tracy said when he launched his campaign in August.
A senior counsel at Brown, Hay and Stephens, a Springfield-based law firm with historical ties to Abraham Lincoln, Tracy has deep roots in Illinois legal and political circles. He previously chaired the Illinois Republican Party from 2021 to 2024 and led the state Gaming Board under former Gov. Bruce Rauner.
His candidacy also drew support from former Sen. Mark Kirk, the last Republican to win a Senate seat in Illinois, in 2010.
On the Democratic side, Stratton secured her party's nomination in a crowded 10-candidate field, defeating Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly with roughly 40% of the vote to Krishnamoorthi's 33.2%.
Her victory was closely tied to the backing of Gov. JB Pritzker, who endorsed her early and directed substantial financial resources into the race through aligned political committees.
Spending in the Democratic primary reached unusually high levels:
- $14.9 million in advertising by Illinois Future PAC supporting Stratton
- $5 million contributed by Pritzker to the PAC
- ~$29 million spent by Krishnamoorthi on advertising
- $8+ million deployed by crypto-backed Fairshake PAC opposing Stratton
Stratton framed her victory as a validation of campaign messaging and coalition-building efforts. "We showed what's possible when you listen to the people," she told supporters in Chicago.
The general election landscape remains challenging for Republicans. Illinois has leaned decisively Democratic in recent cycles, with Vice President Kamala Harris carrying the state by 11 percentage points in 2024. The Cook Political Report currently rates the Senate seat as "Solid Democratic."
