Juliana Stratton

Juliana Stratton

DemocraticU.S. Senate (Illinois)
↗ Campaign site↗ FEC filing (S6IL00458)

Raised

$4,058,200

THE JACKET

Who funds Juliana Stratton?

$4,058,200

Source: https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/S6IL00458/

outside_pac$5,250,000(98%)
aipac$70,000(1%)
individual$42,000(1%)
pac$5,000(0%)
outside_pacaipacindividualpac
DonorCategoryAmountStatus
Gov. J.B. Pritzker (via Illinois Future PAC — independent expenditure)outside_pac$5,000,000confirmed
Laura Ricketts (Chicago Cubs co-owner)outside_pac$250,000confirmed
Pritzker family members (MK Pritzker, adult children, cousins Adam/John/Gigi/Jennifer Pritzker)individual$42,000confirmed
AIPAC-network donors (≥27 individuals — direct campaign committee)aipac$70,000confirmed
Marquis Energy Corporate PACpac$5,000confirmed
Stratton pledged no corporate PAC money to her campaign committee — a pledge confirmed by Sun-Times and Tribune. BUT: (1) Her prior state campaign funds accepted corporate PAC money; (2) she accepted $21,000 from Marquis Energy family members individually; (3) Illinois Future PAC — which has spent $11.8M on her behalf — is overwhelmingly funded by billionaire Gov. Pritzker; (4) her own Level Up PAC (created Jan. 2025) accepted $46,000 from Marquis family and $5,000 in corporate PAC money. Krishnamoorthi calls this 'shameless hypocrisy.' (Sources: Chicago Sun-Times 11/21/2025; Chicago Tribune 11/6/2025; Capitol News Illinois 3/10/2026)

Red Flags

🚩aipacAIPAC Donor Network — $70K+ Direct + Former AIPAC President on Finance Committee

The Intercept reported on March 12, 2026 that at least 27 AIPAC donors gave $70K+ directly to Stratton's Senate campaign. Lee Rosenberg, a former president of AIPAC, sits on her campaign finance committee. AIPAC is officially staying neutral in the IL Senate race but its donor network is active for Stratton. This is an apparent tension with her progressive positioning, particularly given that she has been endorsed by Elizabeth Warren and End Citizens United.

Source: → https://theintercept.com/2026/03/12/illinois-senate-aipac-stratton/

🚩dark-moneyCorporate Contributions Despite 'No Corporate PAC' Pledge — Sun-Times Investigation

Chicago Sun-Times (Nov. 21, 2025) reported that while Stratton vowed to reject corporate PAC money, she has a history of accepting corporate PAC and direct corporate contributions in her state campaign funds since 2016. For her Senate race: she returned a $5,000 Marquis Energy PAC check but accepted $21,000 from Marquis family members personally, and her Level Up PAC accepted $46,000 from Marquis family and $5,000 in corporate PAC money. Krishnamoorthi's campaign aired a TV ad citing the Sun-Times story. Stratton's campaign says the pledge applies only to her Senate campaign committee, which has held to it.

Source: → https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2025/11/21/juliana-stratton-us-senate-bid-march-primary-corporate-pac-money

🚩dark-moneyIllinois Future PAC — $11.8M in Outside Spending, Pritzker-Controlled

Illinois Future PAC, which has spent $11.8M supporting Stratton and attacking Krishnamoorthi, is overwhelmingly funded by Gov. JB Pritzker ($5M) and allies including Laura Ricketts ($250K). Stratton benefits directly from this spending while officially not coordinating. The Fairshake PAC's ads and the Indian American Impact Fund PAC have attacked Stratton for 'relying on dark money super PACs.' Capitol News Illinois (March 10, 2026) confirmed Illinois Future PAC as the largest outside spender in the race.

Source: → https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/outside-groups-spending-big-on-illinois-senate-race/

⚠️conflict-of-interestDemocratic Lieutenant Governors Association (DLGA) PAC — ICE Contractor Funding

Fairshake PAC ads accused Stratton of benefiting from the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association PAC, which has received money from an ICE contractor. Krishnamoorthi's campaign cited this to counter Stratton's attacks on him for accepting Palantir CTO donations. Capitol News Illinois confirmed the DLGA PAC connection. The allegation is that one of Stratton's PAC supporters is funded by the same type of ICE contractor she attacks Krishnamoorthi for. Confirmed as a claim in the race — exact details of DLGA donor composition require independent verification.

Source: → https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/outside-groups-spending-big-on-illinois-senate-race/

Bio

Juliana Stratton is the Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, serving as J.B. Pritzker's running mate since January 2019. She was born and raised in Chicago. She earned a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1987) and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law (1992). After law school, she founded JDS Mediation Services, Inc. and served as Executive Director of Cook County Justice for Children and the Cook County Justice Advisory Council. She taught conflict management and negotiation skills at Loyola University Chicago, and served as Director of the Center for Public Safety and Justice at University of Illinois at Chicago. Stratton was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives (26th District / later 5th District under redistricting) in 2014, serving 2015–2019 with a focus on the House Judiciary-Criminal Law Committee and criminal justice reform. She was elected Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 2018 — the first Black woman elected to statewide office in Illinois history — and reelected in 2022. As Lt. Gov., she has led the Governor's Rural Affairs Council and championed cannabis legalization equity provisions. She announced her Senate candidacy in late April 2025, one day after Dick Durbin announced his retirement. Gov. Pritzker endorsed her immediately and has committed $5M to the independent expenditure PAC supporting her (Illinois Future PAC). She pledged not to accept any corporate PAC money for her Senate campaign. She has surged in polling in the final weeks before the March 17 primary, with one poll showing her at 33% (vs. Krishnamoorthi at 29%). (Sources: Ballotpedia; Chicago Sun-Times; WTTW Voter Guide 2026; FEC S6IL00458)

Prior office: Lieutenant Governor of Illinois (2019–present); Illinois State Representative (26th/5th District, 2015–2019)

Key Votes

  • yesHB 40 (Illinois) — Reproductive Health Act, 2017

    As IL State Representative, Stratton was a lead advocate for HB 40, ensuring Illinois women retain access to abortion funding regardless of insurance coverage if Roe v. Wade were overturned. Signed into law October 2017.

  • yesCannabis Regulation and Tax Act (Illinois SB 1557), 2019

    As Lt. Governor, Stratton championed Illinois's landmark cannabis legalization law, including equity provisions for expungements and minority business licensing. She led the Governor's Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Cannabis Commission. Signed January 1, 2020.

  • yesSAFE-T Act (Illinois SB 2328) — Criminal Justice Reform, 2021

    Stratton publicly supported and advocated for the SAFE-T Act, Illinois's comprehensive criminal justice reform package: ended cash bail, established police accountability measures, reformed use-of-force standards. Signed February 2021.

  • yesIllinois SALT Act — Protecting Residents from Federal Immigration Enforcement

    Stratton cited the SALT Act (signed under Pritzker administration in 2025) as protecting Illinoisans from 'illegal and unethical federal immigration enforcement conduct.' She listed it as a key accomplishment in her Sun-Times candidate questionnaire (March 2026).

  • yesIllinois FY2025 Budget ($53.1B), 2024

    As Lt. Governor, Stratton co-signed the FY2025 state budget, which included expanded mental health funding, SNAP support, affordable housing investment, and clean energy programs. Standard executive role.