* The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association, backing Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton for U.S. Senate, released a new poll from Public Policy Polling…

With just one week to go, PPP’s latest poll among Democratic primary voters in Illinois finds that Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton remains in the lead in the race for U.S. Senate. She’s the choice of 32% of respondents, followed by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi at 30% and Congresswoman Robin Kelly at 13%.

Since late February, Krishnamoorthi’s support has dropped 4 points from 34% to 30% while Stratton has gained five points, from 27% to 32% - a nine-point swing in the last two weeks.

Stratton has improved her favorability rating, which now stands at 46%-16%, up from 40%-16% last week.

The 25% of the electorate who remain undecided are disproportionately:

- Men, where Stratton leads 32%-27% over Krishnamoorthi
- Black voters, where Stratton leads 34%-23% over Krishnamoorthi
- Voters in the suburbs outside of Cook County, where Stratton leads 39%-26% over
Krishnamoorthi.

Public Policy Polling surveyed 700 likely Democratic primary voters from March 9-10, 2026. The margin of error is +/- 3.7%. 63% of the interviews for the survey were conducted by text message and 37% by telephone.

Click here for PPP’s poll from last week.

* The JB Pritzker-backed Illinois Future PAC, supporting Stratton, ranks sixth nationally in 2026 ad spending. Raja Krishnamoorthi is close behind, but he is also benefiting from millions in outside spending…

We've tracked $778M in 2026 ad spending and reservations so far.

The highest-spending advertiser is #CAGov candidate Tom Steyer (D), accounting for 7% of total 2026 spending and reservations.

2026 spending and reservations by party:
? $389M
? $306M
⚪ $83M pic.twitter.com/IH0nVK3B1H

— AdImpact Politics (@AdImpact_Pol) March 9, 2026

* The Justice Democrats PAC is spending $100,000 to back 8th CD candidate Junaid Ahmed…

New: @imeupolicy & @justicedems spending $100K to back Junaid Ahmed in IL-8 Democratic primary.

Opponent Melissa Bean supporters: Pelosi, Landsman, Hoyer, as well as pro-Israel, Crypto, AI interests

Ahmed supporters: Sanders, Warren, Khanna, Ramirez, Jayapal

Election next week pic.twitter.com/Eh6vVBPN8B

— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) March 9, 2026

* Chicago Progressive Partnership, reportedly tied to AIPAC, is airing an attack ad against Kat Abughazaleh in the 9th CD…

#ILPol: "Kat Abughazaleh supported Marco Rubio for president. Said she was to the right of Donald Trump on Social Security."

Chicago Progressive Partnership is up with a #IL09 attack ad against Abughazaleh. The group has $842K in spending and reservations. pic.twitter.com/95SIYtPjdg

— AdImpact Politics (@AdImpact_Pol) March 9, 2026

Evanston Now’s Matthew Eadie links the ad to the Elect Chicago Woman PAC…

Oops! New anti-Kat ad sent today by Chicago Progressive Partnership (below) to #IL09 voters via text, but if you reply 'stop,' it appears the group has outed themselves as the same pro-Fine/anti-Biss super PAC "Elect Chicago Women."

"ECW: You are now opted-out…" pic.twitter.com/3Mw7BcgGne

— Matthew Eadie (@mattheweadie22) March 10, 2026

* Meanwhile, Abughazaleh walked back her pledge to not take money from Republican donors…

Abughazaleh: “We also received an email from someone saying that we had people who had also donated to Republicans in the past. None of these were to Donald Trump and some of them were more than a decade old. As I’ve talked about at length, I grew up conservative. I understand what it’s like to transition from conservative to progressive and I’m not going to hold that against someone, especially if they’ve evolved to support the Palestinian candidate who is under federal indictment for protesting ICE.”

Kat’s campaign made the pledge to not take money from Republican donors twice in this past week…

* Biss unveils closing ad…

Daniel Biss, Mayor of Evanston and leading candidate in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, announced the release of “Money Can’t Buy a Record Like Mine,” his fourth and final television and digital ad of the campaign. The ad details Biss’ progressive record and wide range of endorsements highlighted by Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

Click here to watch it.

* Austin Weekly News….

Interviews with some voters and canvassers for candidates indicate that is what many voters in the 7th District are feeling. Many voters don’t even know who all is running much less whom to vote for.

That could favor the candidates with the most name recognition such as State Rep La Shawn, (D-Chicago) Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and activist Kina Collins, who is making her fourth run for Congress. […]

Conyears-Ervin, who finished second running against Davis two years ago just ahead of Collins, has been buoyed by positive television ads paid for by a super PAC connected to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). […]

[Real estate developer Jason Friedman] has been spending heavily on direct mail sending voters so many campaign mailers that some voters are sick of them. But Friedman is building name recognition which is key in such a crowded field and diverse district.

* More…

* Fox Chicago | Chicago wealth summit costs taxpayers more than $220K, records show: Conyears-Ervin defends the cost, writing in a statement: “The annual expense pales in comparison to the $1.5 billion in investment earnings our office has delivered on behalf of Chicago taxpayers… I strongly believe in the safety and security that comes with financial empowerment, and these seminars are what I can do as an elected leader to build good financial habits in my community.”

* The Daily Northwestern | Democratic congressional candidates draw hundreds at ETHS forum: “I did not plan to run for Congress, and I would not be running for Congress in any other moment, but I saw a void in how Democrats don’t know how to handle the far right,” she said. “I’m the only candidate in this entire race that felt enough of a sense of urgency to not wait in line or ask for permission to run in the first place.” Simmons sharply rebuked that characterization, arguing he “did not ask for permission” to become a state senator or launch his congressional campaign.

* Block Club | 19 Candidates Vying For Jan Schakowsky’s Coveted North Side Congressional Seat: More than a dozen Democrats and four Republicans have thrown their hat in the ring to succeed Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District. The 9th District covers parts of the Far North Side, including West Ridge, Rogers Park and Edgewater, and the district stretches northwest to include cities in Lake and McHenry counties.

* National Nurses United | National Nurses United endorses Junaid Ahmed for Illinois’ 8th District: “Junaid Ahmed is a progressive leader who has organized in his community for years,” said Mary Turner, RN and NNU President. “Junaid stepped up during the pandemic to make sure his community had the protections and care they needed, and now he is stepping up to run for Congress to fix our broken political system. He is committed to fighting for Medicare for All and bold climate action, and he will work to build a government and an economy that serves working people, not the billionaire class.”