U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D) endorsed Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in her bid for the Senate in 2026. Stratton, a Democrat, is running to replace Sen. Dick Durbin, who won't seek a sixth term in the upper chamber.

While the Illinois Senate seat is likely to stay in Democratic hands given the state's leftward tilt, Durbin is the fourth Senate Democrat to announce he would not be running for re-election in 2026. New contenders now stand a chance at an open seat in 2026 in Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Michigan.