Don Tracy, a Republican from Springfield, is running for U.S. Senate in Illinois. He faces Democrat Juliana Stratton and American Center Party candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Tracy, a practicing attorney, has said on his campaign website that he wants to make life more affordable for working families by lowering energy costs and cutting business regulations.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Residence: Springfield, Illinois
- Birthplace: Urbana, Illinois; raised in Mount Sterling, Illinois
- Education: Bachelor's degree in general business administration, Arizona State University (1972); juris doctor, University of Memphis (1976)
- Current employment: Partner at Brown Hay & Stephens (1995–present), according to BallotReady data
Experience and public service
Tracy chaired the Illinois Republican Party from 2021 to 2024, according to his Wikipedia biography. Before that, he chaired the Illinois Gaming Board from 2015 to 2019.
He ran for lieutenant governor in 2010.
Tracy has held several civic leadership roles, according to the Winnebago County GOP. He served as president of the Sangamon County Bar Association and the Abraham Lincoln Association, and as secretary of the Illinois Bar Foundation. Earlier in his legal career, he owned Don Tracy PC from 1982 to 1990 and was a partner at Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen from 1990 to 1995.
On the issues
Economy: Tracy said on his campaign website that the country needs to "lower the cost-of-doing-business by cutting excess regulation." He said he would support American manufacturers and farmers by ensuring a fair playing field in global markets. He also said he would work to improve the economy by streamlining regulation and supporting small businesses.
Energy: Tracy said on a separate campaign page that he would push for an energy policy that uses all available energy sources to lower costs and protect energy independence while continuing a transition to clean energy. He framed the issue as affordability, saying his approach would lower energy and gas costs for working families.
Endorsements
Tracy has received endorsements from several Republican officials and organizations, according to his Ballotpedia profile and BallotReady data. They include former Illinois Comptroller and Deputy Governor Leslie Munger, former state Rep. Dan Caulkins, former Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar, former Springfield Mayor Karen Hasara, former Illinois RNC National Committeeman Richard Porter and state Central Committee member Jeanne Ives.
Republican organizations endorsing Tracy include the Hanover Township Republican Organization, Wheeling Township Republican Organization, Madison County GOP, Lake County GOP and Illinois Family Action.
Candidate responses on policy issues are drawn from Tracy's campaign website via BallotReady and represent the candidate's own stated positions. The Park Ridge Wire did not interview the candidate for this profile.
