5 takeaways from the Illinois primaries

Politics Illinois primaries show political power of Pritzker, limits for outside spending and more takeaways By Aaron Navarro Aaron Navarro Digital Reporter Aaron Navarro is a CBS News digital reporter. He covered the 2024 elections and was previously an associate producer for the CBS News political unit in the 2021 and 2022 election cycles. Read Full Bio Aaron Navarro March 18, 2026 / 4:45 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Illinois' Democratic primary elections on Tuesday received a lot of attention, and not always for the candidates on the ballot. The primary for the open seat left by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin , had served as a test for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's political clout ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run. And outside spending from pro-Israel groups and pro-crypto groups, had swarmed House primaries in the closing weeks. Here are five takeaways from Tuesday's results: Stratton on path to make history Should she win her general election where she is heavily favored in the Democratic stronghold of Illinois, Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton will become the sixth Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. A South Side Chicago native and attorney, Stratton served as a state representative for two years before becoming Pritzker's lieutenant governor in 2018. Her win on Tuesday was bolstered by a strong showing in Chicago, and remaining competitive with her main opponent, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, in more suburban and rural areas of the state. She framed herself as a strong fighter against the Trump administration, which was shown in her campaign's viral ad that featured voters launching expletives at the president. She has pledged to push to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement , a message that resonated after the Trump administration's " Operation Midway Blitz" immigration crackdown in Chicago. And in debates and on the airwaves, she'd highlight and criticize donations a Palantir executive made to Krishnamoorthi. Palantir develops software tools ...