Juliana Stratton Secures Key Endorsement from Illinois Governor in U.S. Senate Bid
Standing on the South Side of Chicago, where she was born, raised, and still resides, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton made it official: she’s running to succeed retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin — and she’s doing so with two major endorsements already in hand.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker formally endorsed Stratton’s Senate candidacy at a rally on Friday. Speaking of Stratton as “one of Illinois’ fiercest fighters for working families,” Pritzker cited Stratton’s integrity, pragmatism, and dedication.
“At this perilous moment in Washington, Juliana’s fighting spirit and dedication to improving lives is exactly the type of representation Illinoisans need, and I’m proud to endorse her for the United States Senate,” said Pritzker.
Stratton, the past six years as the second-in-command of Pritzker, gave the praise back by calling attention to their history of raising the minimum wage, balancing the state budget, expanding health care access and creating jobs for Illinoisans.
Serving the people of Illinois by his side is one of the greatest privileges, and I couldn’t be prouder to have earned his endorsement as I work to bring our record of accomplishments to Washington,” Stratton said.
The momentum gained further over the weekend when U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) endorsed the Stratton candidacy as well, infusing the initial stages of her campaign with even more gravity.
“Juliana has not only proven to be an experienced and effective Lieutenant Governor—she’s demonstrated time and again that she truly understands and cares for working people. Their struggles are her struggles,” said Duckworth. “Their wins are her wins.”
“I’d be honored to have her by my side in the Senate as we work to deliver real results for Illinoisans, and I’m proud to endorse her campaign for the United States Senate.”
Duckworth, a decorated Iraq war veteran and among the most powerful voices in the Senate, highlighted Stratton’s own experience as a mother and caretaker as the root of her “tenacity, grit, and perspective.”
Stratton similarly professed admiration for Duckworth as a role model of resilience and leadership.
“Tammy is a true leader for Illinois who doesn’t back down from a challenge. She exemplifies the kind of leadership working families deserve and spends every day looking for new opportunities to help communities across our states flourish. I’m so honored to have her support and I will work tirelessly to bring her spirit of resilience to this campaign.”
Stratton is currently the only candidate to formally launch a campaign, but more contenders are expected to enter the race.