U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth endorsed Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Monday in the 2026 Democratic primary for Illinois’ open seat to replace longtime Sen. Dick Durbin.
Duckworth’s endorsement comes after Gov. JB Pritzker endorsed Stratton on Friday, one day after she entered the Senate contest. With no other Democratic candidates announcing campaigns for the 2026 primary by Monday morning, Stratton secured the endorsement of two of the state’s top Democrats before fielding any competition. […]
U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood, of Naperville, Raja Krishnamoorthi, of Schaumburg, Robin Kelly, of Matteson, and state Treasurer Mike Frerichs, of Chicago, all have said they are considering entering the race.
* Press release, which was issued at about 5 this morning…
Statement from Tammy Duckworth:
“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. Their wins are her wins. Her many years spent in public service, along with her experience as a mom to four daughters and a caregiver to her own mother, have given her the tenacity, grit and perspective to be a true advocate on behalf of working families. 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.”
Statement from Juliana Stratton:
“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.”
Congresswoman Robin Kelly said she will make an announcement this week “about my plans moving forward to ensure all Illinoisans have a proven fighter, someone grounded in service and compassion, in Washington,” according to a statement.
If Kelly does win the race, she’d be almost 77 at the end of her first term. Stratton would be 67.
Gotta be honest with ya … not impressed with Duckworth, and certainly not impressed with Stratton. It’s a tall task for a resume to be as thin as Senator Duckworth’s, but Stratton was able to do so.
Pretty quick for party to chose the winner here. Party bosses and billionaires again and again for both parties. Make them rise from the primaries with popular support first please.
Endorsements are fine and all, but I think recent history has shown that if you try to avoid a primary, it doesn’t end well. I look forward to a robust competition and letting the voters weigh in on all the good options.
I have to imagine that Raja and Underwood are certainly thinking twice about giving up their House seats to run for this thing. Especially considering that the House is much more likely than the Senate to flip to Dem control in 2026.
=I have to imagine that Raja and Underwood are certainly thinking twice about giving up their House seats to run for this thing=
Could you see either of them running for either LG to replace Stratton (if JB decides to run for a 3rd Gov term) in ‘26, or even Governor if JB opts not to run?
The voters in the Democratic primary will decide. If they want Stratton : they will vote for her not because of some endorsement. There might be other well known individuals who will join the race. Only time will tell.
“they will vote for her not because of some endorsement.”
Bold take: The endorsement of a wildly popular Democratic governor (who is a billionaire and not scared of spending) and a slightly less popular, but still very popular Democratic Senator will, in fact, have a positive impact for Lt. Gov Stratton.
== Could you see either of them running for either LG to replace Stratton (if JB decides to run for a 3rd Gov term) in ‘26, or even Governor if JB opts not to run?==
For the LG spot, I don’t think they’d want it and I don’t think JB would offer it to them. But a post-JB gubernatorial run, sure. I’m not saying either of them *won’t* jump into this Senate race, and they both have clearly telegraphed ambitions beyond a House seat. I’m really only saying that the Duckworth endorsement this early really emphasizes the personal career risk they will assume if they still decide to run, stemming from the fact that, unlike the LG, they have to give up their current jobs to do so.
But also I don’t really know what I’m talking about. They’ll probably both have golden parachute gigs lined up in case they lose, anyway.
-The endorsement of a wildly popular Democratic governor-
I can’t think of many political races the last several cycles where endorsements from politicians or celebrities made a difference. If Stratton wins it will because of her own efforts.
Check me I’m wrong: the LG does also, in fact, have to give up her current job to run, because she can’t be on the ticket. I wasn’t thinking. But my point about Raja/LU still stands.
That would be all voters. He’s much more popular among Dem primary voters.
With respect to a primary race, the endorsements thin the crowd but I expect at least one or two more strong challengers. Too many challengers can be bad because someone could win the primary with 40% (or 30%); a two or three-way primary should produce a strong, well-supported candidate. Also, losing a bunch of incumbent House members could be problematic in the general election.
@Bob: he’s wildly more popular than the president and he won his current term without breaking a sweat.
I agree with Remember the Alamo. Lotsa hate here. At least some of them must be Republicans who know they’re about to be sideline spectators in yet another statewide race.
I don’t think endorsements mean much in the general but this is the primary and it is a different animal. These endorsements are not meant for the voters they are meant to scare off other potential candidates and I believe it will work with maybe Raja being an exception because of his bankroll.
Not going to lie, I was fully expecting Raja to have a cakewalk to the Dem nomination given his ability to outspend everyone on their own, but I wasn’t expecting both state and federal leaders to back Stratton borderline right off the bat. He has a war chest that few can match, but Stratton’s getting surrogates galore that’ll be hard for even substantial messaging to break.
== It’s a tall task for a resume to be as thin as Senator Duckworth’s, but Stratton was able to do so. ==
LOL. In what universe is a decorated U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, a state department directorship, and a couple of terms as a U.S. House rep anywhere near to being a thin resume for a senatorial candidate? You’re free to dislike Duckworth, but get real.
-These endorsements are not meant for the voters they are meant to scare off other potential candidates-
I agree. I just wonder how many voters know who the Lt. Gov is?
- Peoples Republic of Oak Park - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:29 pm:
Take a breath. I would say that if history teaches us anything, it’s that being a front-runner is never a sure thing.
The only two statewide “coronations” I can recall were Tammy and Susana in 2016. Even then, given the existential fight with Rauner, there was much more party cooperation than what I would call real discipline for those times. Maybe Trump inspires a similar level of cooperation now, but with the lack of political power brokers and a cohesive Democratic message, I remain unconvinced.
Also, many thought Anna Valencia was a strong contender in 2022, given her backers and endorsements — but at some point, the campaigns just have to work themselves out.
=I have to imagine that Raja and Underwood are certainly thinking twice about giving up their House seats to run for this thing.==
Not Raja. He’s spent years building a $20m warchest for this moment.
==Why not let the process play out?==
This *is* the process playing out. The process includes securing endorsements.
==I just wonder how many voters know who the Lt. Gov is?==
Probably not that many more than how many know who a House Rep or the state treasurer are. Most Senate candidates, outside of incumbents running for re-election (and even then…) aren’t very well known. That’s what the campaign is for.
My own preference would have been to have a robust primary in order to give voters as many choices as possible in deciding the future of state leadership. A 61-year-old freshman U.S. senator is not a choice I am particularly excited about. One of the perks of being a billionaire, of course, is getting to decide what choices are available at the ballot box.
The Democratic primary already happened behind the scenes. Hopefully Senator Stratton does an admirable job; there’s no reason to believe she won’t.
Endorsements are a normal part of every election cycle.
Everybody who has been looking to run in this race has been working the phones softly for a while and in overdrive since Wednesday.
No annointing is happening. There are too many ambitious (not calling them this in a bad way) folks who know anything can happen when voting finally comes around in March. There may have been some people who were hoping to get Duckworth’s backing to boost their profile and are now reconsidering their potential path, but I doubt this will scare anyone with an already established federal fundraising fund.
==Take a breath. I would say that if history teaches us anything, it’s that being a front-runner is never a sure thing.==
I’d struggle to call Stratton “the frontrunner” with a guy out there with $20m. Just lurking, waiting for his moment. In fact, I’d suggest that Stratton is getting her heavyweights out there early to try to mitigate Raja’s huge financial advantage.
You’d think Democrats had learned a lesson from anointing Harris. This top-down stuff can backfire. We haven’t even had the first debate and we don’t even know the full list of candidates.
1) The Governor was never going to go against his Lt. Gov
2) Pritzker is WAY more popular than Biden was pre-debate, much less post-debate. Duckworth I am honestly not entirely sure what her popularity is, but I’m sure it is solid enough. Obviously JB (and the money it brings) is the real prize.
3) Kamala Harris won Illinois resoundingly, so your point falls flat.
This is huge for Stratton. The race isn’t over. Raja has a ton of money and is a hard-worker, he’s no slouch. He isn’t going to be scared off by this I don’t think, he’s been planning too long to let this moment slip.
It’ll be interesting to see. But if this were a baseball game, Team Stratton just put 3 or 4 runs on the board in the top of the 1st inning. Insurmountable? Nope. The way you’d want the ballgame starting if you’re rooting for Team Raja/Frerirchs/Underwood/Kelly/etc.? Heck no.
==You’d think Democrats had learned a lesson from anointing Harris.==
What lesson were they supposed to learn? “Don’t endorse the candidate you want to win”?
==We haven’t even had the first debate and we don’t even know the full list of candidates.==
Perhaps the fact that there are so many other significant events still to come in the primary campaign ought to temper our assertions that someone is being “Anointed”.
The real person impacted by this, imo, is Underwood.
Her path is much murkier to me. Give up a (relatively) safe House seat for a very difficult primary where the Popular Gov (who’s a billionaire in case you forgot) and sitting Senator endorsed another candidate? And another one of your House colleagues, who has 20m, has been plotting for this seat for multiple cycles.
I really don’t see the logic in going for it this go-around if you’re Rep. Underwood, but Senate seats don’t grow on trees, and she’s proven herself an admirable campaigner.
With Durbin retiring, Duckworth needs an ally in case the Primary challenging “do nothing” or aging incumbents becomes a staple of the Democratic Party. JB’s the biggest dog in the yard now - and likely going places - so this is a very smart move by Sen Duckworth.
Jim - Good point. State Treasurer Frerichs has been working statewide a long time, prepping to move up. Not sure where lands in Chicago (vote wise) but he would have solid downstate support. He could be an interesting add to the race.
==1) The Governor was never going to go against his Lt. Gov
2) Pritzker is WAY more popular than Biden was pre-debate, much less post-debate. Duckworth I am honestly not entirely sure what her popularity is, but I’m sure it is solid enough. Obviously JB (and the money it brings) is the real prize.
3) Kamala Harris won Illinois resoundingly, so your point falls flat.==
The situations are so entirely dissimilar- and in fact, the Biden-Harris switch was so sui generis- that I struggle to understand what “lessons” Dems could apply here. The primaries had already occurred in the Harris situation. Now, they’re still 10 months away.
The most important lesson from the Biden-Harris switch I think was “the old guy should step aside in plenty of time for the party to have a primary election”, and, well, Check.
I didn’t expect all this drama in the comments. Anyway, congrats to the Lt Gov on securing both endorsements. She’s not the candidate I would prefer at this point, but she is showing she knows how to play the game. I previously underestimated her.
On the Governor’s favorable/unfavorables being at 46/44 6 years in, I would say that is extremely popular…in Illinois.
Edgar had massive numbers at that point. But even Big Jim only won reelection by the skin of his teeth in ‘82. Everyone else either had very poor numbers (or already gone).
- Save Ferris - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:24 pm:
What does Stratton have? This seems very early for big names to throw down markers. Why not let the process play out?
- Old IL Dude - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:27 pm:
Gotta be honest with ya … not impressed with Duckworth, and certainly not impressed with Stratton. It’s a tall task for a resume to be as thin as Senator Duckworth’s, but Stratton was able to do so.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:30 pm:
===Why not let the process play out? ===
Duckworth was essentially a Durbin political creation, but she threw her lot in with Pritzker.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:33 pm:
===It’s a tall task for a resume to be as thin as Senator Duckworth’s===
LOL
War hero, former US House member, state agency director.
She’s also tough as nails. During her first campaign, she was hooked up to antibiotics every day for hours. So, she made phone calls.
So, please, old dude, stop acting like an old dude.
- Annoyed - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:33 pm:
The ones backing Stratton wants to be a recipient of the benevolent billionaire’s dollars.
- 44 - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:34 pm:
Pretty quick for party to chose the winner here. Party bosses and billionaires again and again for both parties. Make them rise from the primaries with popular support first please.
- Incandenza - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:34 pm:
Endorsements are fine and all, but I think recent history has shown that if you try to avoid a primary, it doesn’t end well. I look forward to a robust competition and letting the voters weigh in on all the good options.
- I-55 Fanatic - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:40 pm:
I have to imagine that Raja and Underwood are certainly thinking twice about giving up their House seats to run for this thing. Especially considering that the House is much more likely than the Senate to flip to Dem control in 2026.
- Excitable Boy - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:41 pm:
- It’s a tall task for a resume to be as thin as Senator Duckworth’s, but Stratton was able to do so. -
It’s a tall task to trivialize having both legs blown off while serving your country, but Old IL Dude was able to do so.
- Old IL Dude - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:43 pm:
==It’s a tall task to trivialize having both legs blown off while serving your country, but Old IL Dude was able to do so.==
What are her accomplishments as US Senator? Are there any?
- Jibba - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:44 pm:
After the last presidential race, a contested primary should be the goal. Crowning a successor, especially this early, is a bad idea.
- Adams St Stan - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:44 pm:
===What does Stratton have?===
J.B. Pritzker. That’s what.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:46 pm:
===Crowning a successor===
That’s a bit much.
- Leatherneck - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:49 pm:
=I have to imagine that Raja and Underwood are certainly thinking twice about giving up their House seats to run for this thing=
Could you see either of them running for either LG to replace Stratton (if JB decides to run for a 3rd Gov term) in ‘26, or even Governor if JB opts not to run?
- hisgirlfriday - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:50 pm:
I was totally oblivious to Robin Kelly being that old but then again I feel like she is super under the radar amongst the delegation in general.
Is there any part of her for Senate that’s about trying to settle a score with Pritzker from the Dem Party Chair fights?
- Steve - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:52 pm:
The voters in the Democratic primary will decide. If they want Stratton : they will vote for her not because of some endorsement. There might be other well known individuals who will join the race. Only time will tell.
- 312 Lawyer - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:55 pm:
My oh my. When will my party stop trying to ANOINT winners. Let them go through the primary and let the best person win.
- Remember the Alamo II - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:56 pm:
So many haters. Not sure where the hate stems from, but it is over the top.
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 1:57 pm:
“they will vote for her not because of some endorsement.”
Bold take: The endorsement of a wildly popular Democratic governor (who is a billionaire and not scared of spending) and a slightly less popular, but still very popular Democratic Senator will, in fact, have a positive impact for Lt. Gov Stratton.
- I-55 Fanatic - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:00 pm:
== Could you see either of them running for either LG to replace Stratton (if JB decides to run for a 3rd Gov term) in ‘26, or even Governor if JB opts not to run?==
For the LG spot, I don’t think they’d want it and I don’t think JB would offer it to them. But a post-JB gubernatorial run, sure. I’m not saying either of them *won’t* jump into this Senate race, and they both have clearly telegraphed ambitions beyond a House seat. I’m really only saying that the Duckworth endorsement this early really emphasizes the personal career risk they will assume if they still decide to run, stemming from the fact that, unlike the LG, they have to give up their current jobs to do so.
But also I don’t really know what I’m talking about. They’ll probably both have golden parachute gigs lined up in case they lose, anyway.
- Bob - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:01 pm:
==Bold take: The endorsement of a wildly popular Democratic governor==
He’s at 46/44. Let’s pump the brakes, here.
- Steve - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:05 pm:
-The endorsement of a wildly popular Democratic governor-
I can’t think of many political races the last several cycles where endorsements from politicians or celebrities made a difference. If Stratton wins it will because of her own efforts.
- I-55 Fanatic - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:05 pm:
Check me I’m wrong: the LG does also, in fact, have to give up her current job to run, because she can’t be on the ticket. I wasn’t thinking. But my point about Raja/LU still stands.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:09 pm:
===He’s at 46/44===
I would venture a guess that whatever poll you’re citing is of all voters. This is a Democratic primary.
This post has really made some of y’all lose your cognitive abilities.
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:10 pm:
==He’s at 46/44. Let’s pump the brakes, here. ==
That would be all voters. He’s much more popular among Dem primary voters.
With respect to a primary race, the endorsements thin the crowd but I expect at least one or two more strong challengers. Too many challengers can be bad because someone could win the primary with 40% (or 30%); a two or three-way primary should produce a strong, well-supported candidate. Also, losing a bunch of incumbent House members could be problematic in the general election.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:10 pm:
@Bob: he’s wildly more popular than the president and he won his current term without breaking a sweat.
I agree with Remember the Alamo. Lotsa hate here. At least some of them must be Republicans who know they’re about to be sideline spectators in yet another statewide race.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:14 pm:
I don’t think endorsements mean much in the general but this is the primary and it is a different animal. These endorsements are not meant for the voters they are meant to scare off other potential candidates and I believe it will work with maybe Raja being an exception because of his bankroll.
- TJ - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:16 pm:
Not going to lie, I was fully expecting Raja to have a cakewalk to the Dem nomination given his ability to outspend everyone on their own, but I wasn’t expecting both state and federal leaders to back Stratton borderline right off the bat. He has a war chest that few can match, but Stratton’s getting surrogates galore that’ll be hard for even substantial messaging to break.
== It’s a tall task for a resume to be as thin as Senator Duckworth’s, but Stratton was able to do so. ==
LOL. In what universe is a decorated U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, a state department directorship, and a couple of terms as a U.S. House rep anywhere near to being a thin resume for a senatorial candidate? You’re free to dislike Duckworth, but get real.
- Steve - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:17 pm:
-These endorsements are not meant for the voters they are meant to scare off other potential candidates-
I agree. I just wonder how many voters know who the Lt. Gov is?
- Peoples Republic of Oak Park - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:29 pm:
Take a breath. I would say that if history teaches us anything, it’s that being a front-runner is never a sure thing.
The only two statewide “coronations” I can recall were Tammy and Susana in 2016. Even then, given the existential fight with Rauner, there was much more party cooperation than what I would call real discipline for those times. Maybe Trump inspires a similar level of cooperation now, but with the lack of political power brokers and a cohesive Democratic message, I remain unconvinced.
Also, many thought Anna Valencia was a strong contender in 2022, given her backers and endorsements — but at some point, the campaigns just have to work themselves out.
- Arsenal - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:33 pm:
=I have to imagine that Raja and Underwood are certainly thinking twice about giving up their House seats to run for this thing.==
Not Raja. He’s spent years building a $20m warchest for this moment.
==Why not let the process play out?==
This *is* the process playing out. The process includes securing endorsements.
==I just wonder how many voters know who the Lt. Gov is?==
Probably not that many more than how many know who a House Rep or the state treasurer are. Most Senate candidates, outside of incumbents running for re-election (and even then…) aren’t very well known. That’s what the campaign is for.
- Garfield Ridge Guy - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:34 pm:
My own preference would have been to have a robust primary in order to give voters as many choices as possible in deciding the future of state leadership. A 61-year-old freshman U.S. senator is not a choice I am particularly excited about. One of the perks of being a billionaire, of course, is getting to decide what choices are available at the ballot box.
The Democratic primary already happened behind the scenes. Hopefully Senator Stratton does an admirable job; there’s no reason to believe she won’t.
- Arsenal - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:36 pm:
==My oh my. When will my party stop trying to ANOINT winners. Let them go through the primary and let the best person win.==
Do you guys think that Duckworth cancelled the primary or something?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:37 pm:
===Do you guys think===
I’m telling you, this post has touched a raw nerve that short-circuited a whole bunch of brain cells.
- Arsenal - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:46 pm:
==One of the perks of being a billionaire, of course, is getting to decide what choices are available at the ballot box.==
JB has lost primaries and intra-party contests before. Hell, he’s lost them *to Robin Kelly* before.
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:47 pm:
==He’s at 46/44. Let’s pump the brakes, here.==
Lol, now do his favorability among Dems (you know, the race that will basically decide this ENTIRE race).
- Anonish - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:49 pm:
Endorsements are a normal part of every election cycle.
Everybody who has been looking to run in this race has been working the phones softly for a while and in overdrive since Wednesday.
No annointing is happening. There are too many ambitious (not calling them this in a bad way) folks who know anything can happen when voting finally comes around in March. There may have been some people who were hoping to get Duckworth’s backing to boost their profile and are now reconsidering their potential path, but I doubt this will scare anyone with an already established federal fundraising fund.
- Arsenal - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:50 pm:
==Take a breath. I would say that if history teaches us anything, it’s that being a front-runner is never a sure thing.==
I’d struggle to call Stratton “the frontrunner” with a guy out there with $20m. Just lurking, waiting for his moment. In fact, I’d suggest that Stratton is getting her heavyweights out there early to try to mitigate Raja’s huge financial advantage.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 2:53 pm:
===try to mitigate Raja’s huge financial advantage===
I’d agree with that. This primary actually started years ago when Raja began raising big bucks.
- Hmm - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:24 pm:
You’d think Democrats had learned a lesson from anointing Harris. This top-down stuff can backfire. We haven’t even had the first debate and we don’t even know the full list of candidates.
- @misterjayem - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:25 pm:
If this endorsement prevents your preferred candidate from winning the primary, your preferred candidate was never viable.
Any potential candidate who finds this obstacle insurmountable has no business in the race.
imho, ymmv, etc
– MrJM
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:38 pm:
@Hmm
1) The Governor was never going to go against his Lt. Gov
2) Pritzker is WAY more popular than Biden was pre-debate, much less post-debate. Duckworth I am honestly not entirely sure what her popularity is, but I’m sure it is solid enough. Obviously JB (and the money it brings) is the real prize.
3) Kamala Harris won Illinois resoundingly, so your point falls flat.
This is huge for Stratton. The race isn’t over. Raja has a ton of money and is a hard-worker, he’s no slouch. He isn’t going to be scared off by this I don’t think, he’s been planning too long to let this moment slip.
It’ll be interesting to see. But if this were a baseball game, Team Stratton just put 3 or 4 runs on the board in the top of the 1st inning. Insurmountable? Nope. The way you’d want the ballgame starting if you’re rooting for Team Raja/Frerirchs/Underwood/Kelly/etc.? Heck no.
- old guy - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:41 pm:
Big Picture: Better to have those three House members running for reelection to their House seats than give them up for a Senate primary!
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:43 pm:
===The way you’d want the ballgame starting if you’re rooting for Team Raja===
As I noted earlier, Raja has been raising money for this run for years. To use your analogy, he started the game with runs on the board.
- jim - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:44 pm:
What about Treasurer Frerichs, he said he may run? Or is he angling for another spot on ticket, like SOS?
could he win? seems like a longshot to me/
- Arsenal - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:44 pm:
==You’d think Democrats had learned a lesson from anointing Harris.==
What lesson were they supposed to learn? “Don’t endorse the candidate you want to win”?
==We haven’t even had the first debate and we don’t even know the full list of candidates.==
Perhaps the fact that there are so many other significant events still to come in the primary campaign ought to temper our assertions that someone is being “Anointed”.
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:45 pm:
The real person impacted by this, imo, is Underwood.
Her path is much murkier to me. Give up a (relatively) safe House seat for a very difficult primary where the Popular Gov (who’s a billionaire in case you forgot) and sitting Senator endorsed another candidate? And another one of your House colleagues, who has 20m, has been plotting for this seat for multiple cycles.
I really don’t see the logic in going for it this go-around if you’re Rep. Underwood, but Senate seats don’t grow on trees, and she’s proven herself an admirable campaigner.
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:47 pm:
==As I noted earlier, Raja has been raising money for this run for years==
That’s a very fair point, I should’ve separated Raja from the rest of the group of Top Prospects, he’s been in the majors for a bit now, financially
- levivotedforjudy - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:48 pm:
I thought getting endorsements was part of the process?
- System Reboot - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:50 pm:
Just gotta observe that we’re not even a week in to Durbin retiring and folks have already lost their minds. This is going to be a fun 11 months…
- Linda - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 3:53 pm:
With Durbin retiring, Duckworth needs an ally in case the Primary challenging “do nothing” or aging incumbents becomes a staple of the Democratic Party. JB’s the biggest dog in the yard now - and likely going places - so this is a very smart move by Sen Duckworth.
- Hmmm - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 4:06 pm:
Jim - Good point. State Treasurer Frerichs has been working statewide a long time, prepping to move up. Not sure where lands in Chicago (vote wise) but he would have solid downstate support. He could be an interesting add to the race.
- Arsenal - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 4:09 pm:
==1) The Governor was never going to go against his Lt. Gov
2) Pritzker is WAY more popular than Biden was pre-debate, much less post-debate. Duckworth I am honestly not entirely sure what her popularity is, but I’m sure it is solid enough. Obviously JB (and the money it brings) is the real prize.
3) Kamala Harris won Illinois resoundingly, so your point falls flat.==
The situations are so entirely dissimilar- and in fact, the Biden-Harris switch was so sui generis- that I struggle to understand what “lessons” Dems could apply here. The primaries had already occurred in the Harris situation. Now, they’re still 10 months away.
The most important lesson from the Biden-Harris switch I think was “the old guy should step aside in plenty of time for the party to have a primary election”, and, well, Check.
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 4:14 pm:
I didn’t expect all this drama in the comments. Anyway, congrats to the Lt Gov on securing both endorsements. She’s not the candidate I would prefer at this point, but she is showing she knows how to play the game. I previously underestimated her.
- Juice - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 4:31 pm:
On the Governor’s favorable/unfavorables being at 46/44 6 years in, I would say that is extremely popular…in Illinois.
Edgar had massive numbers at that point. But even Big Jim only won reelection by the skin of his teeth in ‘82. Everyone else either had very poor numbers (or already gone).
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 28, 25 @ 4:47 pm:
=== being at 46/44===
I don’t even think that’s a current poll. Illinois Policy Institute poll had him at 50/47 a couple months ago https://www.illinoispolicy.org/press-releases/poll-voters-split-on-gov-pritzker/