Trailing two more experienced opponents in fundraising in her Democratic primary bid for the U.S. Senate, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Monday sought to demonstrate that “momentum” nevertheless was on her side as she received the endorsement of the state’s longest-serving member of Congress.

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, who will retire in 2027 at the end of his 15th term, announced he was backing Stratton as the would-be successor to outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin during a news conference at the office of Ald. Emma Mitts, 37th, another political stalwart on Chicago’s West Side, who is also backing Stratton.

“I’m not going to say that she will replace my friend Dick Durbin,” Davis said of Stratton, the two-time running mate of Gov. JB Pritzker. “But I am going to say that she will take to the United States Senate the courage and determination that it takes to protect Illinois, to protect Illinois from hurt, harm and danger.”

Stratton praised Davis as “a tireless advocate for Illinois families, for working people and for those whose voices are too often left out of the conversation.”

“His confidence and trust means the world to me, and I want him and all Illinoisans to know that I do not take this responsibility lightly,” Stratton said. “And just like Congressman Davis, I will fight for the people of Illinois with everything I have, because we are living in a truly defining moment.”

In backing Stratton, Davis joins a list of supporters that includes Pritzker, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. But in doing so, Davis withheld his support from two longtime colleagues in Illinois’ Democratic congressional delegation, seven-term Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson and five-term Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg.

Krishnamoorthi’s campaign has by far the fattest bank account, with $21.1 million on hand at the beginning of the current quarter, and has been airing television ads since mid-July. Kelly, meanwhile, had $2.2 million in her campaign account at the beginning of July, but she also has the support of the political action committee of the Congressional Black Caucus, of which she and Davis both are members. Stratton’s Senate campaign had just over $1 million on hand at the beginning of July.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee, but I know things about Illinois that they don’t know,” Davis said, responding to a question about why he was breaking from the caucus political committee and passing over a pair of colleagues with more experience in Washington.

While most Democrats agree on a wide range of issues, Davis said, “there are some issues that some individuals take a little different.”

As a specific example, Davis pointed to Stratton’s experience working on issues of restorative justice, an approach to criminal justice that emphasizes community healing and rehabilitation over incarceration.

“Restorative justice is an important issue, especially to African Americans — it should be to all Americans, but especially African Americans,” Davis said. “I have heard Lt. Gov. Stratton express more interest, more concern about that issue. … And it’s just one of many.”

An attorney, Stratton directed the Center for Public Safety and Justice at the University of Illinois Chicago before being elected in 2016 to the Illinois House. During her single term, Pritzker chose Stratton as his running mate during his first successful run in 2018.

Some of Stratton’s signature efforts as lieutenant governor, an office with few prescribed duties, have been overseeing the administration’s Justice, Equity and Opportunity initiative as well as the distribution of tax revenue from sales of recreational marijuana to anti-violence programs and other community organizations.

 

Despite Stratton’s short tenure as a lawmaker, Chicago Democratic state Sen. Mattie Hunter and state Rep. Camille Lily, former General Assembly colleagues who joined Davis and Mitts on Monday in endorsing her for the U.S. Senate, touted her friendship and leadership in the legislature.

That leadership is what made her stand out to Pritzker as a potential running mate, Hunter said.

“He was looking for someone who could lead, someone who was strong, and he preferred someone to come out of the General Assembly,” Hunter said. “And that is why he plucked Julianna Stratton as the next lieutenant governor from the state of Illinois.”

For her part, Stratton downplayed concerns about being able to raise enough money to compete. So far, Pritzker, a billionaire Hyatt Hotels heir who spent $350 million on his two successful campaigns with Stratton, has contributed the maximum $7,000 directly to her campaign fund, and no outside spending from the governor on her behalf has been reported.

“I’m going to keep doing everything that I can in my race to make sure that I’m raising the resources that are needed, getting my message out and earning the support of every single voter that I can,” Stratton said. “So I’m feeling good. We have momentum. We’re continuing to build and that momentum is building every single day.”