The Democratic contest to replace Durbin, who announced his retirement after 30 years in the Senate, is giving Illinois Democrats a rare chance to elect a new senator, and it has quickly turned into more than a routine primary fight among Democrats. As the election approaches, the attention has also shifted to how Pritzker’s wealth and political backing for Stratton are reshaping the dynamics between the top contenders on Tuesday’s ballot: Krishnamoorthi, Kelly and Stratton.
Pritzker, who is running unopposed for his own job in his party’s primary, has instead directed substantial resources toward Stratton, including backing her over the other two Democrats. The campaign effort includes Pritzker campaigning alongside Stratton and appearing in an expletive-filled television ad aimed at Donald Trump. At the same time, Pritzker’s looming presence has become an issue inside the Democratic coalition, with criticism focused on whether wealth and influence are being used to “tip the scales” in a primary.
That unease is part of the backdrop for how voters are weighing the race. Pike, a Chicago anti-violence activist who said she supports Pritzker but is not comfortable with his spending, said money should not have to be a factor in deciding elections. She said she is voting for Kelly instead. Her stance reflects a broader concern described in the reporting: discomfort among some Democrats with the scale and symbolism of how Pritzker uses his wealth during a primary.
In fundraising and messaging, the race has also divided among the candidates as they compete for attention ahead of November. The primary includes 16 candidates, but it centers on three frontrunners: Krishnamoorthi, a five-term congressman; Kelly, a House member; and Stratton, the lieutenant governor backed by Pritzker. Krishnamoorthi, who is 52, has been a major fundraising presence and has generated more than $30 million from about mid-2025 until last month, while reporting also placed Stratton at about $4 million and Kelly at about $3.3 million during the same time period.
Krishnamoorthi’s campaign has tried to steer away from the direct scrutiny of Pritzker’s involvement. When asked about Pritzker’s role, he told voters that “At the end of the day, voters will make their decision. They don’t want anyone else to decide for them,” adding, “We’re on a good path. We just have to run down it as fast as we can.” The reporting also said that Krishnamoorthi has been second among 2026 Senate candidates in fundraising only to Democrat Jon Ossoff, based on Federal Election Commission data, while emphasizing that he is focused on convincing voters rather than engaging in the money-and-endorsement fight.
Stratton, meanwhile, has taken an aggressive tone at debates, according to the reporting. She has attacked Krishnamoorthi’s voting record and funding sources so sharply that he joked he would need “body armor” at a televised January forum. In early advertising, Stratton and Pritzker have appeared in a first TV ad that also referenced “the f-word” at Trump, while the two candidates have appeared together smiling in later spots that link Pritzker and Stratton closely in voters’ minds.
Not everyone has accepted the view that Pritzker’s involvement is normal campaign activity. Earlier this month, the Congressional Black Caucus, of which Kelly is a member, criticized the governor’s involvement. Clarke, a Democrat who leads the caucus and is a House member from New York, said in a statement that Pritzker’s effort to “tip the scales in Illinois’ U.S. Senate race is beyond frustrating,” adding that “A sitting governor shouldn’t be heavy-handing the race” and that “his behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten.” Kelly said she did not solicit the message and argued that voters are responding to the candidate’s qualifications rather than money alone, saying “Just because you don’t have the most money, doesn’t mean that you haven’t done the most.”
Pritzker, who the reporting said has defended his involvement as appropriate, has responded to criticism by saying he does not blame the caucus for “standing up for a friend of theirs.” He told reporters last week in Springfield that he is working “very hard to elect someone as our U.S. senator, a Black woman,” and said Stratton “has the best chance of being a great U.S. senator for us among the three Democrats in the running.” The governor has also been described as being credited by some voters with bringing stability to Illinois, and one suburban Chicago voter, Susan Stockman, said she is backing Stratton in part because of Pritzker and does not see his involvement as going too far.
The reporting also connects Tuesday’s outcome to the broader question of Pritzker’s political power, including speculation about his future ambitions beyond Illinois. It said the winner of the primary is expected to have a strong path in November in a state that has not had a Republican senator since 2016, and it described how Pritzker has been discussed as a potential presidential candidate in 2028. The story said Pritzker put more than $25 million into his campaign war chest last year, though he has been “coy” about any presidential ambitions.
As the election date approaches, campaigns have been trying to reach voters across Illinois with different approaches and rhythms. Stratton, 60, has been more visible at events linked to Pritzker’s governance, including a series of appearances at senior living centers on Chicago’s South Side where Pritzker told residents that Stratton offered “a new avenue to take on the president.” Kelly, 69, has highlighted her record in parts of central Illinois as well as her time in Peoria, and Krishnamoorthi has focused on building support downstate beyond his suburban Chicago district.
For some voters, the race is also turning on relatability and prior records as Democrats decide among candidates who each present themselves as the best fit for the general election. One voter in Kelly’s district, Kimberly Beal, said she was considering Krishnamoorthi after attending Thursday’s Stratton event, citing what she described as his “boots on the group approach” and “no-nonsense appeal.” Another Chicago voter, Kiyonna Mosely, said she trusts Pritzker but does not have a sense of Stratton, while saying she likes Kelly’s record opposing gun violence and finds her relatable, including describing her as “straightforward” and experienced in issues like those Mosely said she has personally faced.