Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, defeating Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, NBC News and the Associated Press projected. Stratton led with approximately 40 percent of the vote in Cook County, beating Krishnamoorthi by 20 points in the city of Chicago, with roughly 80 percent of the expected vote counted.

Stratton's victory came despite a significant financial disadvantage against her primary opponents. Krishnamoorthi, a five-term House member and prolific fundraiser, spent $29 million on advertisements, while Stratton's campaign spent approximately $1.1 million. The gap was partially offset by Illinois Future PAC, funded by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, which spent $14.9 million boosting Stratton and attacking Krishnamoorthi. Stratton also withstood nearly $10 million in attack ads from Fairshake, a super PAC backed by cryptocurrency industry executives.

Stratton, a South Side Chicago native, ran as the most progressive candidate in the field, calling for Medicare for All, a $25 hourly minimum wage, and the abolition of ICE. She received endorsements from Pritzker, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. In her victory remarks, Stratton said, "Tonight we showed what's possible when you listen to the people and give the people what they want." She has also stated she will not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a future leadership vote.

The race carries historic significance. If Stratton wins the general election in November, she would become the sixth Black woman ever to serve in the U.S. Senate and would mark the first time three Black women served in the chamber simultaneously. Stratton enters the general election as a heavy favorite in Illinois, a reliably Democratic state. Durbin's Senate seat has not been contested in an open race since 1996.