Race Overview
How this primary came to be, and what's at stake
How the seat opened
In April 2025, Senator Dick Durbin—Illinois's senior senator and the Senate Democratic Whip for 17 years—announced he would not seek re-election in 2026, ending a congressional career spanning nearly five decades. Reuters
Within days, Governor JB Pritzker endorsed Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, shaping the early field. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi filed with the FEC within two weeks, entering with a massive existing fundraising network.
The general election
Illinois is a reliably Democratic state in federal elections. Major political handicappers (Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, Inside Elections) all rate the November seat as safely or solidly Democratic, meaning the primary is effectively the decisive election for the seat. Ballotpedia
State of the race
Congressman Krishnamoorthi leads in both fundraising ($28.5M raised) and polling (31–33%), but with 46% of likely voters still undecided in January 2026, the race remains fluid. Stratton and Kelly each hover around 8–18% in polls, and Stratton holds the key Pritzker endorsement. Emerson/WGN, Jan. 2026
Front-runners · Top Tier
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Juliana Stratton
Robin Kelly
Remaining Ballot Candidates · Full Field
Steve Botsford Jr.
Sean Brown
Awisi Bustos
Jonathan Dean
Bryan Maxwell
Kevin Ryan
Christopher Swann
Adam Delgado
Candidate Debates
Six debates and forums have featured the top three candidates ahead of the March 17 primary. The most recent was February 26 — a League of Women Voters forum broadcast on WTVP.
League of Women Voters Forum — WTVP
Moderated Q&A format · No direct candidate crossfire · Six minor candidates excluded
- Drew on immigrant family story and reliance on public programs
- Warned public benefits "are on the chopping block"
- Called for abolishing "Trump's ICE" with specific reforms: no masks, body cameras, IDs, no warrantless arrests
- Focused on breaking monopolies — opposed Kroger-Albertsons merger
- Proposed 10% housing credit for first-time homebuyers; clean energy tax credits
- Labeled Trump's budget bill the "Large Lousy Law"
- Touted Illinois record: wage increases, job growth, balanced budgets, improved credit ratings
- Called for complete ICE abolition — framed Trump as normalizing military presence in Democratic cities
- Advocated $25/hr federal minimum wage
- Championed gun safety and reproductive freedom protections
- Stayed on offense re: Trump contrast throughout
- Platform: "people over profit"
- Proposed taxing wealthy individuals and closing corporate loopholes to fund housing, healthcare, childcare
- Filed impeachment papers against DHS Sec. Kristi Noem — called it a "reign of terror"
- Proposed $17/hr minimum wage as more achievable than $25
- Emphasized 13 years of legislative accomplishments: "she gets s— done"
WGN Statewide Debate — Nexstar/WGN-TV
Moderated by Tahman Bradley & Micah Materre · Broadcast statewide across six Illinois markets
Stratton continued pressing Krishnamoorthi on ICE contractor campaign donations and his prior resolution vote. Kelly highlighted her impeachment effort against DHS Sec. Noem.
Stratton renewed attacks on PAC funding from both Kelly and Krishnamoorthi. Opponents pointed out her supporting super PAC (Illinois Future PAC) hadn't disclosed donors despite running ads.
Healthcare access, inflation, U.S. foreign policy. All three committed to opposing Trump's second-term agenda.
Fox 32 / Daily Illini Debate
Notable for minimum wage clash, campaign finance attacks, and a surprise UFO question
Stratton: $25/hr · Krishnamoorthi: $17/hr (small business impact concern) · Kelly: "realistic" figure needed for passage
Stratton attacked Krishnamoorthi over Palantir executive donation. Krishnamoorthi countered: Stratton's Illinois Future PAC received money from CoreCivic, a private prison contractor — "very disturbing."
Kelly & Krishnamoorthi supported greater government disclosure. Krishnamoorthi: "Sunlight is the best disinfectant." Stratton redirected to wages and healthcare.
Chicago Tribune Radio Debate
Candidates clashed over PAC money and ICE abolition policy in a radio format. Stratton's pledge not to accept corporate PAC money directly was scrutinized against Illinois Future PAC's undisclosed donor list.
2nd Illinois Senate Debate — STLPR
Candidates debated how to fight the Trump agenda and restore public trust in government.
1st Live-Broadcast Debate — WBEZ / Chicago Sun-Times / UChicago
Moderated by Tina Sfondeles (Sun-Times), Jennifer Steinhauer (IOP) & Sasha-Ann Simons (WBEZ)
Stratton hit Krishnamoorthi for voting to "thank ICE" and accepting ICE contractor donations. Krishnamoorthi: the resolution primarily condemned antisemitism; he donated the Palantir exec's $29,300 to Illinois migrant rights groups and was "the only candidate who actually inspected an ICE facility." Stratton: "No matter what you say now, you already demonstrated that you're not gonna show up when it matters."
Kelly defended corporate PAC money: "Check the record. Check how I vote" — accused Stratton of "dark money." Stratton mocked Krishnamoorthi's passed bills as only "renaming post offices." Krishnamoorthi countered he has passed 76 bills when including partnerships with other members.
Kelly acknowledged respecting RFK Jr.'s wellness focus; Krishnamoorthi agreed on manufacturing concerns; Stratton stated she disagreed with Trump "on all points."
📺 Watch: C-SPAN (full video) · Internet Archive (free stream) · WBEZ recap · STLPR recap
Campaign Fundraising
Total receipts reported to the FEC through December 31, 2025. Source: FEC
Cash on Hand (Dec. 31, 2025)
| Candidate | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Cash on Hand | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raja Krishnamoorthi | $28,480,748 | $13,228,573 | $15,252,175 | Includes $19.3M transfers from prior committees |
| Juliana Stratton | $3,199,075 | $2,077,484 | $1,121,591 | — |
| Robin Kelly | $2,949,085 | $1,349,085 | $1,600,000 | Includes large transfers from authorized committees |
| Steve Botsford Jr. | $359,171 | $230,990 | $128,181 | Largely self-funded |
| Kevin Ryan | $83,936 | $72,401 | $11,535 | — |
| Jonathan Dean | $60,724 | $67,554 | −$6,830 | $46,500 in outstanding loans |
| Adam Delgado (write-in) | $15,572 | $36,948 | −$20,366 | Write-in candidate |
| Bryan Maxwell | $21,976 | $14,778 | $7,198 | — |
| Sean Brown | $10,217 | $9,678 | $539 | — |
| Christopher Swann | $4,768 | $4,175 | $593 | Jul.–Sep. 2025 period |
| Awisi Bustos | FEC data unavailable | — | — | FEC profile not processed as of research date |
Source: Federal Election Commission
Polling
Two major polls have been publicly released for this primary. The most striking finding in both: nearly half of likely voters are undecided, leaving substantial room for late movement.
- Voters over 50 favored Krishnamoorthi at 42%
- Male voters favored Krishnamoorthi at 41%
- Women were disproportionately undecided
- Stratton's coalition may be larger than her topline suggests
Candidate Comparison
Key facts across fundraising, polling, endorsements, and policy. "No public statement" means no direct quote was found in reviewed sources — not that the candidate has no position.
| Candidate | Current Role | Fundraising | Latest Poll | Key Endorsement | Campaign Message | Key Policy Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raja Krishnamoorthi | U.S. Rep. (IL-8) | $28.5M raised · $15.3M CoH | 31–33% | None identified (Durbin neutral) | Anti-Trump, national security | Intel/national security; economic growth |
| Juliana Stratton | Lt. Governor, IL | $3.2M raised · $1.1M CoH | 10–18% | Gov. JB Pritzker | "Working people"; anti-Trump | Workers' rights; criminal justice reform |
| Robin Kelly | U.S. Rep. (IL-2) | $2.95M raised · $1.6M CoH | 8% | None identified | Gun violence prevention champion | Gun safety; healthcare; South Side Chicago |
| Steve Botsford Jr. | Former cong. aide | $359K raised · $128K CoH | Not polled | None identified | "Abundance" economics; cost of living | Housing supply; clean energy; healthcare cost |
| Sean Brown | Attorney | $10.2K raised · $539 CoH | Not polled | None identified | "Not a Politician, I'm a Problem Solver" | Universal Care Plus Act; gun registry; immigration reform |
| Awisi Bustos | — | FEC data unavailable | Not polled | None identified | Not documented | Not documented |
| Jonathan Dean | — | $60.7K raised · −$6.8K CoH | Not polled | None identified | Not documented | Not documented |
| Bryan Maxwell | — | $21.9K raised · $7.2K CoH | Not polled | None identified | Not documented | Not documented |
| Kevin Ryan | — | $83.9K raised · $11.5K CoH | Not polled | None identified | Not documented | Not documented |
| Christopher Swann | — | $4.8K raised · $593 CoH | Not polled | None identified | Not documented | Not documented |
| Adam Delgado (write-in) | — | $15.6K raised · −$20.4K CoH | Not polled | None identified | Not documented | Not documented |
Candidates Not on the Ballot
Several candidates were removed from the Democratic primary ballot through Illinois petition objection and ballot certification processes, or withdrew voluntarily.
🚫 Removed / Disqualified
- Jump Shepherd — Removed December 2025 (IL SBOE records). Populist "Oligarchs vs. You" message; minimal fundraising ($881).
- Anthony W. Williams — Removed December 2025 (IL SBOE records).
- Adair Rodriquez — Did not qualify for the primary ballot.
- Stanley Leavell — Did not qualify for the primary ballot.
↩️ Withdrew
- Robert Palmer — Listed as withdrawn/not a candidate by The Green Papers and Ballotpedia.
- Dick Durbin — Listed by Ballotpedia among withdrawn candidates; he announced retirement April 2025.