The Associated Press projected early Tuesday evening that Democrats would retain control of Illinois’ open U.S. Senate seat and reelect Gov. JB Pritzker to a third term, with both calls coming shortly after polls closed at 7 p.m.

Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton is projected to defeat Republican Don Tracy in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, keeping the seat in Democratic hands. Durbin, a longtime Senate leader first elected in 1996 and serving since 1997, announced his retirement in 2025 after nearly three decades in the chamber.

Stratton, who has served as lieutenant governor alongside Pritzker since 2019, entered the race shortly after Durbin’s announcement and quickly secured the governor’s endorsement. She won a competitive March Democratic primary with about 40 percent of the vote, defeating U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly and a crowded field, aided by millions in support from Pritzker-linked groups. Her platform has emphasized progressive priorities including a $25 federal minimum wage, Medicare for All, and abolishing ICE, while highlighting her record on maternal health equity, criminal justice initiatives, and raising Illinois’ minimum wage during her time in statewide office. She is expected to become only the second Black woman to represent Illinois in the U.S. Senate and the sixth Black woman to serve in the current Senate.

Tracy, a Springfield attorney and former chair of the Illinois Republican Party (2021–2024), campaigned on border security, support for law enforcement, and economic issues while navigating the state’s deep Democratic lean. Republicans have not won a statewide race in Illinois in more than a decade. In the governor’s race, the AP called the contest for Pritzker at 7:01 p.m., projecting a decisive victory over Republican Darren Bailey in a rematch of their 2022 contest. Pritzker becomes the first Democrat in Illinois history to win three terms as governor; the last governor to serve three or more terms was Republican Jim Thompson (1977–1991). Bailey, a downstate farmer and former state senator, had previously lost to Pritzker by roughly 13 points.

Pritzker, a billionaire Hyatt heir who has largely self-funded his campaigns, enters a third term with national profile as a potential 2028 presidential contender. He has been a vocal critic of President Trump’s policies on immigration enforcement and other issues affecting Illinois, while campaigning on state accomplishments in infrastructure, abortion access, and cost-of-living measures. His new running mate is Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell, replacing Stratton on the ticket.

Illinois remains a reliably Democratic state in federal and statewide races, with the early calls reflecting strong leads in pre-election polling and the state’s partisan composition. Full results continue to come in, but the early projections confirm Democratic holds in both high-profile contests.