Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said she will run for the Senate in 2026 if incumbent Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., retires, Politico reported.
Stratton, who has been lieutenant governor since 2019, told Democrats that deep-pocketed Gov. J.B. Pritzker will back her campaign, Politico said. Stratton has been calling key Democrats to ask for support, three Democrats told Politico.
"Juliana continues to keep an open mind about future opportunities, and if she does decide to pursue higher office, she'd be proud to earn the governor's support while working to build a broad grassroots coalition," a spokesperson told Politico.
Several members of the state's congressional delegation have also been eyeing Durbin's seat, Politico said. Durbin, 80, has yet to announce if he's running for reelection.
"She said if I run she's not going to," Durbin told Politico.
A spokesperson for Pritzker's team said it will not engage in hypotheticals when asked by Politico about a potential endorsement, though the billionaire heir to Hyatt hotels was recently a guest of honor at a fundraising event for a PAC Stratton recently formed.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., has raised $17.1 million for a possible senate run, while Rep. Laura Underwood and Robin Kelly, the former chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, are other Democrats considering a run, Politico said.
The Cook Political Report, a non-partisan election handicapper, currently rates the seat as "Solid D."
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