With Sen. Dick Durbin retiring, Illinois’ Democratic primary has become a referendum on immigration enforcement, outside money and Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s political clout. The contest between Lieutenant Gov. Julianna Stratton and U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly has tightened ahead of Tuesday’s vote, centered on differing plans to rein in federal immigration agencies and on the role of large donors and party power brokers.
Immigration enforcement has emerged as the central policy fight after a months-long ICE operation in the Chicago area, known as “Operation Midway Blitz,” produced controversial arrests and street confrontations. Local officials criticized the federal tactics as heavy-handed, and a February CBS News poll cited by campaigns found a majority of Democratic and independent voters favor reducing ICE operations.
All three front-runners say they oppose the Trump administration’s enforcement approach, but they diverge on remedies. Krishnamoorthi frames his position as opposing how the administration uses ICE: he says he would not support funding for ICE or CBP in their current forms and proposes reforms such as banning masks for agents, requiring identification and body cameras, and mandating third-party probes of use-of-force. Stratton calls for shuttering ICE and a “total revamp” of immigration enforcement that prioritizes more immigration judges and community-based services and seeks accountability for federal agents who break the law. Kelly backs the most sweeping changes, advocating dismantling ICE, parts of the Border Patrol and pieces of the Department of Homeland Security, including USCIS, to rebuild the system.
The debate is also threading into electoral strategy. Moderate Democratic group Third Way has warned that calls to abolish ICE could be politically risky in competitive states and urged reform rather than abolition. Krishnamoorthi has pushed back, arguing that public outrage over recent agent conduct gives Democrats cover to press for meaningful change and downplaying concerns that opponents will exploit abolition rhetoric.
Outside spending and tech ties have reshaped the race’s dynamics. Krishnamoorthi has led in fundraising and ad buys, reportedly outspending Stratton by more than $20 million overall and benefiting from roughly $10 million in outside spending from Fairshake, a super PAC linked to executives from Andreessen Horowitz and Coinbase. Critics have seized on past donations by some founders to a pro-Trump super PAC in 2024. Krishnamoorthi rejects suggestions he is beholden to crypto interests; he says he supports sensible digital-asset regulation and broader campaign-finance reforms, including efforts to undo the effects of Citizens United.
Stratton’s campaign has been substantially boosted by Gov. Pritzker’s backing. Pritzker gave more than $5 million in December to a super PAC supporting Stratton, and Illinois Future PAC has spent over $12 million backing her to date. Many of Stratton’s staff hires and ad strategies reflect the governor’s imprint. Krishnamoorthi attributes her competitiveness largely to that financial firepower and emphasizes his independence from any single donor.
Pritzker’s deep involvement has provoked pushback within national and state Democratic circles. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is rallying behind Kelly, criticized the governor’s heavy-handed role in the primary. Rep. Yvette Clarke called the intervention frustrating, and Rep. Jim Clyburn traveled to Chicago to raise funds for Kelly. Pritzker, who is Black and seeking reelection as governor, has said he wants a Black woman to represent Illinois in the Senate while stressing that he is focused on his gubernatorial campaign and not on possible national ambitions.
Political observers see the outcome as a test of Pritzker’s power to shape statewide races. If Stratton loses despite the governor’s millions and visible support, it could undercut his influence and offer lessons about the limits of outside spending and elite endorsements. More broadly, the primary may set a template for how Democrats balance calls for bold changes to immigration enforcement, manage scrutiny over tech and crypto-linked donors, and grapple with the role of wealthy state leaders as national ambitions loom.