2026 United States Senate election in Illinois

Last updated

2026 United States Senate election in Illinois
Flag of Illinois.svg
  2020 November 3, 20262032 
 
Party Democratic Republican

Incumbent U.S. senator

Dick Durbin
Democratic



The 2026 United States Senate election in Illinois will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Illinois. Incumbent Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who was re-elected in 2020 with 54.9% of the vote, declined to seek a sixth term in office. This will be the first open Senate seat race in Illinois since 2010 and the first for this Class II seat since 1996, when Durbin was first elected.

Contents

Democratic primary

On April 23, 2025, incumbent Senator Dick Durbin, who has served in the seat since 1997, announced that he would not seek re-election. [1] One day later, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton declared her candidacy, becoming the first to do so; she received the immediate endorsement of Governor JB Pritzker. [2]

On May 1, NBC 5 Chicago reported that Pritzker and his allies were attempting to dissuade other prominent Democrats from entering the primary, in particular U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi, Robin Kelly and Lauren Underwood. Krishnamoorthi had already raised $19 million by then while Underwood led in some polls. [3] Pritzker denied this report. [4] On May 6, Kelly announced her campaign. [5] The next day, Krishnamoorthi entered the race. [6] Underwood would ultimately decline to run in the primary on 19 May, opting instead to run for re-election to the House. [7]

By July, Krishnamoorthi had amassed the largest war chest of about $21 million. The three most notable candidates have earned numerous high-level endorsements as well; Stratton received the endorsements of many suburban Democrats and leaders in the State House along with figures like Senator Tammy Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi has garnered primarily local support from suburban towns, while Kelly was endorsed by much of the Congressional Black Caucus as well as gun violence prevention and LGBT advocacy groups. [8]

Krishnamoorthi argued that his experience on the House Intelligence Committee would allow him to effectively engage in foreign policy matters, such as issues with China, while in the Senate. He has also sought to prioritize economic mobility as a main issue, seeking to appeal to middle-class voters. [9] Stratton has received the financial backing of Pritzker and other members of his family. [10] Stratton has stated that she will not accept Corporate PAC donations while Krishnamoorthi and Kelly have received such donations. [11] [12]

Candidates

Declared

Filed paperwork

  • Stanley Leavell [17]
  • Austin James Mink, writer [18]
  • Christopher Swann [19]

Formed exploratory committee

  • Meredith Shiner, communications consultant [20]

Publicly expressed interest

Potential

Declined

Endorsements

Robin Kelly
U.S. representatives
Local officials
Organizations
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Executive branch officials
U.S. representatives
State legislators
Local officials
Organizations
Labor Unions
Juliana Stratton
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
Statewide officials
State legislators
Local officials
Individuals
Declined to endorse
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
Organizations

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2025
CandidateRaisedSpentCash on hand
Robin Kelly (D)$2,458,390$253,466$2,204,924
Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)$12,666,604$907,898$11,758,706
Juliana Stratton (D)$1,083,703$417,286$666,416
Source: Federal Election Commission [52]

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [c]
Margin
of error
Robin
Kelly
Raja
Krishnamoorthi
Juliana
Stratton
OtherUndecided
GBAO (D) [53] [A] August 12–17, 2025800 (LV)± 3.5%12%38%18%29%
Z to A Reseach (D) [54] [B] August 8–10, 2025615 (LV)± 4.0%13%51%28%8%
GBAO (D) [55] [A] June 5–10, 20251,200 (LV)± 2.8%14%32%19%4%31%
Hypothetical polling
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [c]
Margin
of error
Robin
Kelly
Raja
Krishnamoorthi
Juliana
Stratton
Lauren
Underwood
OtherUndecided
May 19, 2025Underwood declines to run
Public Policy Polling (D) [56] [C] April 29–30, 2025674 (LV)± 3.8%8%20%13%16%43%
GBAO (D) [57] [A] April 24–28, 2025800 (LV)± 3.5%8%21%13%20%9% [d] 30%
314 Action (D) [58] March 24–27, 2025773 (LV)± 3.5%10%30%16%33%10%
32%19%39%10%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Publicly expressed interest

Potential

Declined

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2025
CandidateRaisedSpentCash on hand
Doug Bennett (R)$13,000$16,090$1,611
Casey Chlebek (R)$25,000$11,505$13,495
John Goodman (R)$27,194$22,310$4,884
Source: Federal Election Commission [52]

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [70] Solid DAugust 18, 2025
Inside Elections [71] Solid DAugust 12, 2025
Sabato's Crystal Ball [72] Safe DAugust 12, 2025
Race To The WH [73] Likely DSeptember 4, 2025

Notes

  1. Jackson was part of a coalition of elected officials who endorsed Kelly, but he later stated his intention to stay neutral in the primary. [33]
  2. 1 2 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  3. "Other" with 5%; Mike Frerichs with 4%

Partisan clients

  1. 1 2 3 Poll sponsored by Krishnamoorthi's campaign
  2. Poll sponsored by The Impact Fund PAC, which supports Krishnamoorthi
  3. Poll sponsored by the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association, which supports Stratton

References

  1. Pecorin, Allison (April 23, 2025). "Sen. Dick Durbin announces retirement after decades in Congress". ABC News. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  2. "Juliana Stratton Launches Campaign for U.S. Senate, Promising to Center 'Middle Class'". WTTW News. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  3. Ahern, Mary Ann; Schmidt, Rose (May 1, 2025). "Sources: Pritzker team calls congresswoman 'damaged goods,' seeking to stop potential Senate run". NBC Chicago. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  4. Kapos, Shia (May 2, 2025). "Senate race's sharp elbows". POLITICO. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Schultz, Paris (May 6, 2025). "U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly launches Senate bid to succeed Dick Durbin". WFLD . Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Lesniewski, Niels (May 7, 2025). "Krishnamoorthi joins Illinois Senate race". Roll Call . Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Rep. Lauren Underwood says she won't seek Dick Durbin Senate seat". Chicago Sun-Times. May 19, 2025. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  8. Ahern, Mary Ann; Schmidt, Rose (July 14, 2025). "In heated race, who has the advantage in seeking Sen. Dick Durbin's seat". WMAQ-TV . Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  9. Szalinski, Ben (July 14, 2025). "Economic mobility top priority of Krishnamoorthi's Senate campaign". Capitol News Illinois. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  10. Szalinski, Ben (July 16, 2025). "Who is contributing to Illinois' U.S. Senate candidates?". Capitol News Illinois. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  11. Szalinski, Ben (July 16, 2025). "Who is contributing to Illinois' U.S. Senate candidates?". Capitol News Illinois. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
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  15. Sfondeles, Tina (April 24, 2025). "Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton becomes first major Democrat to launch Senate bid to replace Durbin". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved April 24, 2025.
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  17. "LEAVELL, STANLEY MR. - Candidate overview". FEC.gov. January 1, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  18. "FEC Form 2 for Report FEC-1890900". docquery.fec.gov. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  19. "SWANN, CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER - Candidate overview". FEC.gov. January 1, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  20. Shiner, Meredith (February 3, 2025). "Primary Every Democrat". The New Republic . ISSN   0028-6583 . Retrieved February 6, 2025. Today, it brings me no pleasure to announce that I am launching an exploratory committee for a Senate run to replace the senior senator from my home state, Dick Durbin.
  21. 1 2 3 Epstein, Reid J. (May 12, 2025). "In Illinois Senate Race, Old Grudges and a Test of Pritzker's Power". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 12, 2025.
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  23. Pearson, Rick (April 23, 2025). "US Sen. Dick Durbin's retirement opens the floodgates for a number of potential successors". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved April 25, 2025. State Treasurer Michael Frerichs said he is weighing a bid for Durbin's seat and other Democrats have floated the names of first-term Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, state Sen. Robert Peters of Chicago and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
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  65. Pyke, Marni (May 6, 2025). "Robin Kelly enters U.S. Senate primary". Daily Herald . Retrieved May 6, 2025.
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  73. "2026 Senate Forecast". Race to the WH. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
Official campaign websites