Vying for Senate seat, Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton discusses foreign affairs, Medicaid, and tax breaks for middle class

There are three leading Democratic candidates so far to succeed Senator Dick Durbin, who announced earlier this year that he is not seeking reelection. This includes Congressman Raja Krishamoorthi, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. We are planning to bring you in-depth interviews with each of the candidates — and Republicans, if any decide to seek the office.

Lt. Governor Stratton is the daughter of a physician and a teacher- born and raised on the south side of Chicago. She has a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a law degree from DePaul University.

Stratton had a full career as a lawyer, mediator and administrative law judge before her first and only solo campaign — when she ran for state representative in 2016. Then, in her first and only term as a legislator, JB Pritzker selected her as his running mate when he was running for Illinois governor. Stratton joins the program live today in our studio in Urbana.

GUEST

Juliana Stratton 
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
Candidate for U.S. Senate, Democratic Primary 2026