Lieutenant governor Juliana Stratton picked up two more high-profile endorsements Wednesday as former congressman Bobby Rush and former Secretary of State Jesse White backed her bid for the U.S. Senate. 

Rush and White join a slate of Illinois Democrats backing Stratton’s bid for retiring Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat, giving her added momentum in a crowded primary field that includes Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi, both well-funded contenders with name recognition.

Strattonannounced her candidacy for the seat at the end of April, just one day after Durbin announced he would not be seeking reelection for the seat he has held since 1997.

She has already received endorsements from Governor J.B. Pritzker, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, as well as several downstate mayors and county chairs.

At a downtown press conference announcing the endorsements, Rush described Stratton as a “proven fighter” and “tireless worker” who puts working people in Illinois first. He also called her and Pritzker the “dream team,” particularly for their work in expanding access to reproductive health care, college and early childhood education and bringing down prescription drug prices. 

“We need someone who will go to Washington, who really knows how to fight,” said Rush, who was congressman of Illinois’ 1st District for 30 years.

White, who spent 16 years in the state House and 24 as the Secretary of State, noted that Stratton was raised by a public school teacher and a Navy veteran. He dated his collaboration with Stratton back to when she ran for state representative in 2016.  

“Throughout her career, she has been a tireless advocate for those whose voices are too often overlooked,” White said, citing Stratton and Pritzker’s work to raise the state minimum wage to $15, balance the state budget and curb gun violence.

White ended his remarks with a pieece of advice for Stratton: “Winning is for you, and losing is for someone else.”

Stratton, in her turn at the podium, called White and Rush “two true giants” who “made it possible for people like me to see ourselves in leadership and to know without question that we belong.”

A former minor league baseball player, White is the longest-serving secretary of state in Illinois history, having spent more than two decades in the role after stints in the state House and as Cook County recorder of deeds. Rush, a civil rights activist and co-founder of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, was elected to the 1st Congressional District in 1992. 

Stratton noted that the endorsements came on the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.

“Here we are in 2025 still fighting to protect the very progress he and Secretary White and Reverend Rush fought for,” Stratton said. She called recent executive orders from President Donald Trump and rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court “an assault on our most sacred freedoms,” mentioning specifically the right to vote and reproductive freedom.

“They’re trying to roll back the clock, to silence voices like mine and to keep power out of the hands of everyday people, but we will not go backward,” she said.

Stratton told the Herald that her campaign platform includes advocating for universal health care coverage and pushing for investments in education. Reflecting on her time as lieutenant governor, Stratton noted her work to create11,000 new public preschool seats, expand MAP grants for college and increase funding for K-12 education.

“I want to get to Washington so I can fight to restore the Department of Education and make sure education is more accessible,” she said.

Stratton, who grew up in Hyde Park and now lives in Bronzeville, was elected to the Illinois House in 2016 and served one term before Gov. J.B. Pritzker chose her as his 2018 running mate. She became lieutenant governor in 2019 and was reelected with Pritzker in 2022. A lawyer by training, she has run her own consulting firm, led the Cook County Justice Advisory Council, directed the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Center for Public Safety and Justice, and served on boards including the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center and Juvenile Protective Association. She credits caring for her mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease, with inspiring her path to politics.

A large field of candidates is anticipated for the race to fill Durbin’s seat. Major Democratic opponents that have so far announced include U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg.

As of June 30, Stratton raised more than $1 million in individual contributions, according to federal election filings. Of this, Capital News Illinois reports that she’s received $3,500 – the limit for individual campaign contributions for federal office – from Pritzker, as well as contributions from former legislators, high-profile lobbyists and the owners of most Chicago sports teams. With about $666,000 cash on hand, Stratton has pledged to not take any money from corporate political action committees, setting her apart from Kelly and Krishnamoorthi.

Kelly has represented the 2nd Congressional District since 2013, an area that stretches along the south lakefront from Kenwood to suburban Danville. Her tenure has focused on expanding health care and combatting gun violence. 

She has raised about $305,000 in individual contributions as of June 30, according to federal election filings, but has about $2.2 million cash on hand. Last week, Kelly was also endorsed by the political action committee of Brady, a major gun control organization.

Krishnamoorthi has represented the 8th Congressional District since 2016, an area that covers the city’s northwest side and suburbs. His tenure has focused on health care,  job training and oversight of the first and second Trump administration. 

His fundraising has so far outpaced his competitors, having raised more than $2 million in individual contributions as of June 30, according to federal election filings. Krishnamoorthi also has more than $11 million cash on hand due to a sizable war chest he entered the race with.

The Illinois primary election is March 17, 2026.