Democrat Juliana Stratton won the Illinois U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Republican Don Tracy, The Associated Press reported.

The race was at the top of a packed ballot for Park Ridge and Niles voters, who also weighed in on two congressional contests, state legislative races and several local referendum questions, according to the Journal & Topics.

AP declared Stratton the winner at 8 p.m. EST, according to an AP wire report carried by KWQC. The Chicago Tribune reported AP called the race less than a minute after polls closed.

As of 8:10 p.m., with 19% of the estimated vote counted, Stratton held 66.9% and Tracy had 31.8%, the Chicago Tribune reported. American Center Party candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. also appeared on the ballot, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

Stratton, the state's lieutenant governor, will succeed Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat retiring after five terms, according to the AP report. Durbin announced in 2025 that he would not seek another term, the Herald-Whig reported. He first won the seat in 1996. For the first time in 30 years, Illinois will not have a senator named Durbin, Axios reported.

What it means

The outcome carries national weight. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and both parties are battling for control of the chamber in the midterms, Axios reported.

Stratton will be the second Black woman to serve Illinois in the Senate, according to the AP report. She was twice elected lieutenant governor as Gov. JB Pritzker's running mate and had Pritzker's endorsement in a contentious Democratic primary.

She won that primary with about 507,689 votes, roughly 40% of the Democratic total, according to Illinois State Board of Elections primary results. Before becoming lieutenant governor in 2019, she was a state representative, Axios reported.

The candidates

Tracy is a Springfield attorney and businessman who chaired the state GOP from 2021 to 2024 and previously led the Illinois Gaming Board, Axios reported. He took the Republican primary with about 215,523 votes, roughly 40% of the GOP total, per state board records. Tracy ran a relatively quiet general election campaign, the Chicago Tribune reported. His campaign did not hold an election night party.

Harrington founded the American Center Party. He told ABC 7 that voters are frustrated with both major parties.

Where they split

Affordability was the top issue for both leading candidates, NBC Chicago reported, but they disagreed on causes and solutions. Stratton called for raising the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour, according to ABC 7. Tracy pointed to state costs and lingering inflation from the Biden administration, NBC Chicago reported.

The candidates also split on immigration. Stratton supports abolishing ICE, while Tracy favors stronger border enforcement, according to Axios. They disagreed on Supreme Court reform, federal abortion protections and gun restrictions.

On the local ballot

Park Ridge and Niles residents voted in two congressional districts. In the 9th District, which covers most of Niles and part of Park Ridge, Democrat Daniel Biss ran against Republican John Elleson for the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, the Journal & Topics reported. In the 5th District, which includes portions of both communities, incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley faced Republican Tommy Hanson.

Niles voters also considered three village referendum questions: a binding proposal to extend trustee term limits from 12 to 16 years, a binding measure to eliminate residential vehicle stickers as of June 1, 2027, and a nonbinding question on attracting a theater, the Journal & Topics reported.

Official results will be posted at the Illinois State Board of Elections website once counting and certification are complete. Under Illinois law, eligible ballots can continue to be received and counted for up to 14 days after Election Day.