Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy today released his first digital ad of the 2026 election cycle, Your American Dream. The introductory ad highlights the real-life struggles Illinois families face under the sky-high cost of living, and Tracy’s commitment to fighting for common sense solutions in Washington.
The video features Tracy speaking directly with everyday Illinoisans: a nurse living paycheck-to-paycheck, a senior forced to keep working at 71, a third-generation farmer squeezed by rising input costs, and a college student juggling two jobs to pay for school. Their stories underscore a central message of Tracy’s campaign: the American Dream is slipping out of reach for too many families because career politicians are focused on special interests and extreme agendas instead of people. […]
Tracy’s top priority is lowering the cost of living for working families by reducing energy, gas, health care, and housing costs; cutting wasteful government spending; and supporting small businesses, manufacturers, and farmers across all 102 counties of Illinois.
Unlike his Democrat opponents, career politicians from Chicago and Cook County, Tracy brings decades of real-world experience throughout Illinois. He began working in his family’s warehouse at age 10, worked his way through college, ran a small business, and spent his career helping families and small businesses succeed.
Don: The sky-high cost of living has made the American Dream seem out-of-reach for many everyday Illinoisans.
Woman 1: I’ve been a registered nurse for the last 2 years. And I feel like I’ve been living paycheck-to-paycheck. Groceries being expensive, gas being expensive… and on top of that my bills to keep a roof over my head.
Don: May I ask why you’re still working at 71?
Man 1: I can’t retire. Things have gotten so tight money-wise. I’ve got to pay the bills and I’ve got to eat.
Don: So, you’re a third generation farmer?
Farmer: Yep. Third-generation.
Don: Tell me about the inputs on farming. How have those prices gone up?
Farmer: Started with a shortage of all the stuff in 2020. And then, grain prices keep going down and input prices keep going up.
Don: Illinois working families need someone who will work for them in Washington, not for special interests.
Man 1: Politicians over the long-term, they have a lot of special interests. I don’t think they care about the little guys out here that made this country.
Don: If you had a choice between someone running for office who is going to focus on and prioritize reducing the cost of living or a career politician, which choice would you make?
Farmer: The guy that’s not a career politician. The longer you’re a career politician, the less connected you are to the people you got elected to go serve.
Don: Who’s paying for your education?
Woman: Mostly me and loans.
Don: So you’re working your way through college?
Woman: I am. I work two jobs.
Don: That’s great. I worked my way through college, as well.
Don: I understand the struggles of working families. I started working in the warehouse of our family business when I was 10 years old. My wife is the daughter of a factory worker and handyman. I will be the voice for everyday Illinoisans in Washington.
I’m Don Tracy. I spent my career working for families and small businesses. I’m ready to take that fight to the U.S. Senate. I will fight with everything I have, so everyone in our great state has the opportunity to pursue their own American Dream.
Working during college versus working your way through college are two different things. I guess Don got over the 15 second ads he preferred while running as a democrat for the State Senate.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:23 am:
So bad I do not know where to start.
I had a long talk with a Republican leader 20 years ago.
What I said was “If Republicans cannot figure out how to run better campaigns than you did for Topinka, Democrats will never elect anyone better than Rod Blagojevich.”
The state of the Illinois GOP is so bad now that Democrats can sit on their couch and laugh.
It is so bad that Republicans in Cook County have decided they are better off running as Democrats.
That will be happening in Lake and DuPage County within the decade as well.
The result is that Democrats do not have to evolve new ideas, engage new voters, or really even worry about being accountable for doing their basic jobs.
D. I understand that affordability is the zeitgeist right now, but the GOP has a trifecta in Washington. There’s no way for a wannabe congressional Republican to make this argument without implicitly pointing the finger at his own party. And Tracy doesn’t offer anything he’d do differently.
It’s a really solid ad, I’d give it an A-. Makes him relatable; it doesn’t feel like a cut-and-paste ad. There was clearly some actual thought put into the message.
Will this matter on EDay in November? No. But ad wise it’s really something to be proud of and the type of track IL Republican party wants to leave its MAGA era. Not holding my breath, but that’s another discussion.
This was a good ad, but I must say about the college section. He says it’s good she worked through college to pay for it, but that’s not all. She has loans. He didn’t acknowledge the student loans. They didn’t need that back in Don’s day. Funnily enough, student loans were created right at the same time of the Civil Rights Act and Blacks were allowed to college. It’s shameful no one wants to tackle it. Well, Biden tried.
It’s a pretty good ad, but it’s ironic that the problems the featured people have are due to the policies of the current Republican administration. What will Don Tracy do differently than the Republican sycophants currently in Congress? This ad implies he will look out for the little guy, but his party consistently and unabashedly looks out for the rich, white guy.
Don: Who’s paying for your education?
Woman: Mostly me and loans.
Don: So you’re working your way through college?
Woman: I am. I work two jobs.
Don: That’s great. I worked my way through college, as well.
===
Not sure saying it’s “great” to being overworked and in debt is the best pitch to working folks. But there will be people who (the kind who don’t “pay attention to politics”) will probably like this, because of the safe, familiar trope of “things are expensive and a straight-talking outsider who works for the people can fix it” and that’ll be good enough for them.
I would give it a C but all the people in this ad don’t seem genuine at all, especially Tracy.
Trump tariffs have cost the average household $1,000. But tell us more about the high cost of living and the struggles of working families. The Tracy family couldn’t be more out of touch.
The contrast of Tracy’s well put together ad with the loud angry fighting ads from the other senate candidates (ads which are dominating the airwaves yet are barely distinguishable from each other at this point) is notable. I give it a B+.
- Jr. Neef - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:12 am:
Working during college versus working your way through college are two different things. I guess Don got over the 15 second ads he preferred while running as a democrat for the State Senate.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:23 am:
So bad I do not know where to start.
I had a long talk with a Republican leader 20 years ago.
What I said was “If Republicans cannot figure out how to run better campaigns than you did for Topinka, Democrats will never elect anyone better than Rod Blagojevich.”
The state of the Illinois GOP is so bad now that Democrats can sit on their couch and laugh.
It is so bad that Republicans in Cook County have decided they are better off running as Democrats.
That will be happening in Lake and DuPage County within the decade as well.
The result is that Democrats do not have to evolve new ideas, engage new voters, or really even worry about being accountable for doing their basic jobs.
- DrX - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:49 am:
What does Jill (career politician) Tracy think of the ad?
Substance wise = a great ad. Relatable
- DS - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:50 am:
D. I understand that affordability is the zeitgeist right now, but the GOP has a trifecta in Washington. There’s no way for a wannabe congressional Republican to make this argument without implicitly pointing the finger at his own party. And Tracy doesn’t offer anything he’d do differently.
- Alton Sinkhole - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:52 am:
It’s a really solid ad, I’d give it an A-. Makes him relatable; it doesn’t feel like a cut-and-paste ad. There was clearly some actual thought put into the message.
Will this matter on EDay in November? No. But ad wise it’s really something to be proud of and the type of track IL Republican party wants to leave its MAGA era. Not holding my breath, but that’s another discussion.
- hmmm - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:55 am:
This was a good ad, but I must say about the college section. He says it’s good she worked through college to pay for it, but that’s not all. She has loans. He didn’t acknowledge the student loans. They didn’t need that back in Don’s day. Funnily enough, student loans were created right at the same time of the Civil Rights Act and Blacks were allowed to college. It’s shameful no one wants to tackle it. Well, Biden tried.
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:55 am:
It’s a pretty good ad, but it’s ironic that the problems the featured people have are due to the policies of the current Republican administration. What will Don Tracy do differently than the Republican sycophants currently in Congress? This ad implies he will look out for the little guy, but his party consistently and unabashedly looks out for the rich, white guy.
- Jocko - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 8:56 am:
==I worked my way through college, as well.==
You’re telling me DOT Foods Inc. (started in 1960, now worth $10 billion) was barely making ends meet in 1981?
- btowntruthfromforgottonia - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:00 am:
His party is running things in DC…..
His daughter is a career politician….
The ad had a gloomy backdrop the entire way through.
If that’s the best they can do they’re going to get rolled over in November.
- CA-HOON! - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:04 am:
Don: Who’s paying for your education?
Woman: Mostly me and loans.
Don: So you’re working your way through college?
Woman: I am. I work two jobs.
Don: That’s great. I worked my way through college, as well.
===
Not sure saying it’s “great” to being overworked and in debt is the best pitch to working folks. But there will be people who (the kind who don’t “pay attention to politics”) will probably like this, because of the safe, familiar trope of “things are expensive and a straight-talking outsider who works for the people can fix it” and that’ll be good enough for them.
I would give it a C but all the people in this ad don’t seem genuine at all, especially Tracy.
So D+ is my grade.
- meh - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:08 am:
If this is an “ad” with money behind it, which is what the word ad implies… why is it 2 minutes long?
- Jack in Chatham - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:08 am:
I didn’t hear even one idea to fix anything. F
- Bob - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:12 am:
Just work yourself to death with no healthcare, then you won’t have to worry about retirement!
- Jack - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:18 am:
Trump tariffs have cost the average household $1,000. But tell us more about the high cost of living and the struggles of working families. The Tracy family couldn’t be more out of touch.
- Bogey Golfer - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:21 am:
He forgot to ask the interviewees how tariffs have affected each of them….especially the farmer.
- Isabel Miller - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:28 am:
This is a reminder to include a rating!
- Think Again - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:40 am:
Great ad - rate it an A-, perfect for the primary and as an introduction to who Don Tracy is to the wider electorate
- Responsa - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 9:41 am:
The contrast of Tracy’s well put together ad with the loud angry fighting ads from the other senate candidates (ads which are dominating the airwaves yet are barely distinguishable from each other at this point) is notable. I give it a B+.