By Townhall Chicago News Staff
Republican Don Tracy and Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton met Monday night in Wilmette for their only scheduled debate in the race for Illinois’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Stratton is the Democratic nominee after winning the March primary for the seat being vacated by Sen. Dick Durbin. Tracy, senior counsel at the Springfield law firm Brown, Hay & Stephens, is the Republican nominee.
Tracy criticized the record of Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Stratton on cost-of-living issues during the debate. “The Pritzker-Stratton administration increased taxes and fees almost 70 times,” he said. He also said the state had prematurely closed “some of the cleanest fossil fuel power plants in the world,” which he called a main driver of higher utility prices.
Tracy cited inflation figures during the exchange, saying costs rose “20 percent” over a period he did not fully specify, with an annualized rate of 5 percent that he said has since come down to about 3.5 percent.
Stratton tied rising costs to federal policy rather than state government. “Donald Trump dragging us into a war that no one asked for,” she said, citing diesel prices she put at $6.55 a gallon compared with about $4.50 for regular gasoline, and citing tariffs she described as illegal. She said she would not vote for additional funding for the conflict.
Tracy gave a mixed answer when asked about a potential endorsement from President Donald Trump. “I would welcome it, but I didn’t ask for it,” he said, adding later, “I never said I welcomed it. I never asked for it.”
Radio host Dan Proft, who aired clips from the debate the next morning, said Tracy missed chances to go on offense against Stratton’s record. “If you can’t bring yourself to be on offense when your party is in power in D.C. and you’re running for U.S. Senate, you shouldn’t be running for U.S. Senate,” Proft said. He predicted Stratton would win the race comfortably.
Monday’s debate was the only one scheduled between the two candidates ahead of the general election for the open Senate seat.
Tracy has spent decades practicing corporate and business law in Springfield and previously served as chairman of the Illinois Republican Party from 2021 to 2024 before launching his campaign. Stratton has served as lieutenant governor since 2019 and was the first Black woman to hold the office.
The general election for the seat, which Durbin has held for more than two decades, is expected to draw significant national attention given the shift in candidates following his retirement announcement. Monday’s debate was broadcast by WTW in Wilmette, with clips replayed on Tuesday’s radio program.
