Democrat Juliana Stratton won the Illinois U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Republican Don Tracy in a contest decided before most Oak Park and Forest Park voters had left their polling places.
The Associated Press declared Stratton the winner at 7 p.m. CT, calling the race less than a minute after polls closed, the Chicago Tribune reported. An AP wire report carried by KWQC confirmed the call.
Oak Park and Forest Park sit in Illinois' 7th Congressional District, which stretches from the western suburbs through the West Side to downtown Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune's 7th District coverage. Voters there also chose state Rep. La Shawn Ford to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Danny Davis. The Wednesday Journal reported that the closest Vote Center to Oak Park was the Maybrook Courthouse at 1311 Maybrook Square in Maywood.
The Senate race
Stratton, the state's lieutenant governor, will succeed Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat retiring after five terms, according to the AP report. American Center Party candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. also appeared on the ballot, ABC 7 Chicago reported.
As of 8:10 p.m. on Nov. 3, with 19% of the estimated vote counted, Stratton had 66.9% and Tracy had 31.8%, the Chicago Tribune reported. Unofficial totals reported by Patch showed Stratton with 1,009,263 votes to Tracy's 541,717. Election results remain unofficial until certified by election authorities.
Stratton will be the second Black woman to serve Illinois in the Senate, according to the AP report. She was twice elected lieutenant governor as Gov. JB Pritzker's running mate and had Pritzker's endorsement in a contentious Democratic primary.
For the first time in 30 years, Illinois will not have a senator named Durbin, Axios reported. Durbin announced in 2025 that he would not seek another term, according to the Herald-Whig. He first won the seat in 1996.
Where they stood
Affordability was the top issue for both leading candidates, NBC Chicago reported, but they disagreed on causes and solutions. Stratton called for raising the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour, according to ABC 7. Tracy pointed to state costs and lingering inflation from the Biden administration, NBC Chicago reported.
The candidates split on immigration. Stratton supports abolishing ICE, while Tracy favors stronger border enforcement, according to Axios. They also disagreed on Supreme Court reform, federal abortion protections and gun restrictions.
Tracy, a Springfield attorney who chaired the state GOP from 2021 to 2024, ran a relatively quiet general election campaign, the Chicago Tribune reported. His campaign did not hold an election night party.
What's next
Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and both parties are battling for control of the chamber in the midterms, Axios reported. Under Illinois law, eligible ballots can continue to be received and counted for up to 14 days after Election Day, according to NBC Chicago. Official results will be posted at the Illinois State Board of Elections website once counting and certification are complete.
