Juliana Stratton

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running? 

10 years ago, when I was caring for my mother Velma through the end of her battle with Alzheimer’s, my state representative voted with then-Governor Rauner to cut health care and services that seniors like my mother depended on. But Illinois families like mine deserved better; they deserved someone who would stand up for them. So I ran – and won. 

For the last seven years, I’ve been building on that work – working with Governor JB Pritzker to prioritize the real issues that matter to families, that make everyday people’s lives better. We’ve raised the minimum wage, protected reproductive freedom, banned assault weapons, invested in our education, rebuilt roads and bridges, created thousands of jobs, and the list goes on. 

I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished because it’s the same work I set out to do 10 years ago – to show that government can be a partner to the people, not a roadblock. What we’ve achieved in Illinois can serve as a blueprint for the entire country, and that’s what I’ll bring to the U.S. Senate. 

Illinoisans deserve a leader who will go to the mat fighting for them — I am that fighter. Running for the United States Senate wasn’t something I’ve spent years planning – but just like I was called 10 years ago, I’m once again stepping up to fill a need because Donald Trump is dragging us into a five alarm fire, and our state, our country, and the American people deserve real leadership at the table.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it? 

Life is way too expensive. Trump’s tariffs and rampant corporate greed are skyrocketing prices on everything from food to health care to utilities, and our families are suffering as a result. As a mom of four, I understand the burden this has put on the backs of working people. 

Illinoisans deserve a life where they can put food on the table without worrying about making rent or skipping their medication to afford it. Alongside Governor Pritzker, I’ve helped bring down costs, ensure workers are paid fairly, eliminate the grocery tax, raise the minimum wage, relieve medical debt, and lower prescription drug prices – putting money back in your pockets. 

On the federal level, I’ll fight for a $25 minimum wage, Medicare for All, and a tax cut for the middle class. I want to cut red tape, build more, and ensure that families aren’t competing with big banks to afford housing. I will stand up to Donald Trump and his trade war that’s increased costs for working families. And I will work to restore Medicaid and Medicare funding and bring down prescription drug prices. 

On top of putting more money in families’ pockets, we also have to address the system that enables corporate greed. Politicians are failing to hold corporate interests accountable and also being rewarded by them. This system fails Illinoisans. I’m rejecting corporate PAC money in this race because your needs should come before corporate special interests. My campaign is about giving the people what they want. Read my full affordability blueprint at JulianaStratton.com.

What do you think federal immigration reform should look like?  

I have never shied away from defending immigrant communities, and I won’t back down now when basic rights are on the line. The Trump Administration is engineering a crisis – a spectacle designed for headlines, not for public safety. The point of this stunt is to intimidate, distract, and tear communities apart. 

ICE must be abolished and the occupation of American cities by ICE and CBP must end. Border security should take place at the border, not roam neighborhood streets terrorizing innocent civilians. DHS’s immigration enforcement budget has ballooned to over $150 billion under Trump. Taxpayers have wasted over $59 million and local businesses have lost over $1.2 billion in retail activity due to Operation Midway. We should be funding programs that invest in communities, not tearing them apart. 

I would support legislation to increase accountability and transparency, including the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to keep ICE out of schools, churches, and hospitals, require clear identification and banning non-medical face coverings for agents, and the codification of use of force policies for DHS. While we must address the immediate harms being done to immigrant communities, we also need to take action to repair this broken system. I want to build a better pathway to citizenship, including for Dreamers, and would proudly support the American DREAM and Promise ACT.

How should the Senate address the rising costs of health care?  

Expanding access to high quality, affordable healthcare is one of the most pressing issues of our time – I know that firsthand. Having served as a caretaker for my mother, I know that accessible, quality, and affordable healthcare is a lifeline for so many. I ran for office ten years ago because my State Representative sided with Republicans to cut health services for seniors like my mom. I ran and won, because my family, my community, and people across Illinois deserved better. 

At a time healthcare is already out of reach for so many, Trump’s cuts to Medicaid and Medicare are ripping funding away from hospitals and critical healthcare services. Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans have refused to extend ACA tax credits that millions of Americans rely on for affordable coverage. 

Illinois is protecting reproductive healthcare, expanding mental health services, eliminating medical debt, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, and more. I want to bring Illinois’ blueprint to D.C. But the system is fundamentally broken and we need real, long-term change, not just interim fixes. That’s why I will proudly fight for Medicare for All.

What approach would you take on tax policy?  

The Trump Administration has rigged the economy to work for the wealthiest – handing out tax cuts to corporations and the ultra-wealthy on the backs of everyday people. I believe in building an economy that puts people first – one that works for working and middle class Illinoisans. That starts with making sure corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share and putting money back in the pockets of Illinoisans by making sure workers are paid a livable wage. 

Specific policies I’d support include: passing a tax cut for the middle class, paid for with a tax increase on those making more than a million dollars a year; ensuring corporations are paying their fair share in taxes; expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to help combat poverty, especially child poverty; and expanding the Child Tax Credit. 

We should also be intentional with how the federal government spends Illinoisans’ hard-earned tax dollars, appropriating them to programs which uplift our middle class, not wasting them on unnecessary or frivolous expenses like financing ICE’s constitutional overreach, avoidable wars abroad, or enabling Trump’s profiteering. Tax revenue should be spent on initiatives like quality, accessible healthcare, affordable housing, child care, SNAP benefits to support our nation’s most vulnerable populations, because when they thrive, our whole community thrives, too. I’ll support tax policies that serve Illinoisans, not corporate special interests. I refuse to accept a dime of corporate PAC money because I’ll always put Illinoisans first.

Should any changes be made to the size of the Supreme Court or the confirmation process? 

Trump continues to chip away at Congressional power, use the Justice Department as a tool of retribution, and abuse his office to target political “enemies” and those who refuse to bend to his every whim. He is eroding the concept of separate but co-equal branches of government, and I refuse to sit back while Trump and his cronies systematically dismantle our democracy. Illinois is fighting back. When Trump tried to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, we went to court – and won. When he tried to use federal funding as political retaliation, we beat him in court again. 

I’ll always protect the separation of powers and defend the Constitution. I’d oppose Trump’s Supreme Court nominees and block appointments to the federal judiciary whose blind loyalty to the President overshadows their commitment to the rule of law. I would take my duty and my oath seriously, ensuring what I’m doing is actually in the best interest of the American people. I support reforming the Supreme Court, and would be open to a variety of options including term limits and deadlines to confirm new appointments or potential expansion. We need steadfast oversight, not rogue judges who rubber stamp Trump’s authoritarian agenda. 

We’re living in unprecedented times, and we need leaders who will fight for justice and due process for Illinoisans and Americans across the country.

Do you believe the structure of the Senate leads to legislative gridlock? What would you change? 

Our government should be a partner to the people, not a road block. Americans’ elected representatives should fight for their constituents’ wellbeing. If the system isn’t working for the people it should exist to serve, then we need to reevaluate and reform it. 

I also believe we should strive to reach bipartisan legislative solutions to lower the cost of living, expand access to health care, secure voting rights, and protect our fundamental freedoms. But now, Congressional Republicans are actively going against their own constituents’ best interests. They cut billions of federal investment in Medicaid and are going after your earned Social Security benefits. They’ve allowed Donald Trump’s tariffs to drive up prices on everything from clothing to coffee. They’re seeking to disenfranchise millions of voters through the SAVE Act. 

Illinoisans need their next Senator to stand up and act. I believe in a democracy that gets things done and improves the lives of everyday Americans. I would support abolishing or significantly reforming the filibuster in order to achieve progress that has been blocked like protecting voting rights and abortion rights.

What is the most pressing foreign policy issue facing the country and what role should the Senate play in dealing with it?   

American foreign policy should promote and defend democracy around the world. That’s not what this is. We are months into Trump’s war of choice with Iran. It’s been clear since the start that he had no plan and no justification for any of this, and now, he has no path to get us out. American servicemembers have paid the ultimate sacrifice, and we’ve heard horror stories about the conditions many others are facing while carrying out their orders. Everyday Americans are also paying the price – everything is already getting more expensive and now, Trump has wasted over $100 billion in taxpayer dollars on this war. He is using our dollars to stroke his own ego, all while telling us we can’t afford childcare or healthcare for American families. 

It is past time for Trump to end this war, but the power to act does not rest solely with the President. If he refuses to change course, Congress needs to reclaim their Congressional authority and put an end to this. I will not support any supplemental funding for this war and will be a check on this president. Trump’s unchecked power must be stopped. I support legislation that ensures foreign military intervention is authorized by Congress, not a single individual. 

Americans didn’t vote to be dragged into long, costly wars. They want very basic things: quality healthcare, a living wage that allows them to feed their families, affordable housing. Trump campaigned on these things, but has repeatedly broken his promises. What he’s doing is not helping the American people, and it’s not in our national security or economic interests.

How do you view AI and the role the government should play in its regulation? 

Illinois continues to invest in 21st century, cutting-edge technologies, creating opportunities for innovation while also being a national leader in smart regulation. AI development cannot simply help tech industry giants at the expense of working families, and it can’t continue to rapidly develop without regulation. 

We must ensure that our children are safeguarded, data is secured, consumers are protected, workers are prioritized, values are upheld, and compliance is consistent with bipartisan federal legislation. Congress needs to come to the table and take this seriously. 

In the absence of federal action, I support state governments acting to regulate AI. I am proud that the Pritzker-Stratton administration has helped Illinois lead on this issue. We have enacted the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act, which requires the largest AI companies to undergo independent audits and report dangerous incidents in a timely manner. Illinois also passed HB 3773, which amended the Illinois Human Rights Act to protect employees against discrimination from and transparency about the use of AI in employment related decisions. I would support similar provisions at the federal level. 

We also need to ensure that our workers have a seat at the table in determining how AI is implemented in their workplaces, safeguarding workers and graduates whose jobs are displaced, and averting the offshoring or elimination of American jobs. 

In order to fully benefit from AI innovation, we must use it correctly: implementing technology that makes ALL of our lives easier, and not sacrificing our values and benefiting only the wealthy few. If elected to the U.S. Senate, I welcome the opportunity to work with public and private stakeholders in navigating the challenges and opportunities facing our changing workforce.

How will your approach differ from or mirror that of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin? 

Illinois has an open Senate seat, and it matters who fills it. Like Senator Durbin, I will amplify the voices and advocate for the needs of the whole state of Illinois. I want to carry on his legacy of fighting for immigrant communities, promoting diversity, fighting for opportunity for Illinoisans, and more. However, I’m also running to bring new ideas, new perspectives, and new leadership to Washington. 

I’ve heard time and again as I travel the state that Washington isn’t working for the people – and Democrats in Washington have to step up and meet this moment. My campaign is all about giving the people what they want: a livable wage, access to healthcare, a tax break for the middle class, and to make sure their leaders aren’t beholden to corporate special interests and will keep the people right at the forefront of what they do. I will be that leader.

How would you describe the current state of your party and what changes or new approaches would you like to see your party adopt? 

We need bold change in Washington and we need new leadership. The Democratic Party needs to prioritize real steps to make life more affordable and uplift the members of our community who need it most. 

We need to secure Medicare for All, because when you’re sick, everyone deserves to be able to get the care they need and no one should have to choose between putting food on the table and affording critical prescription medication. 

We need to raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour, embracing ambitious goals to improve economic opportunity for the hardworking middle class that is the backbone of our country. Democrats in the Senate were unable to secure a federal minimum wage increase even when we had the White House and the Congressional majority, and it’s clear we need a new approach and new voices who will push the party to be more courageous on our priorities. In Illinois, we’ve successfully raised the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, and I want to build on that work. I’ll bring that enthusiasm and proven track record to D.C., refusing to lower my standards and pushing for decisive action. 

While Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans want to take us back in time, I’ll advocate for progress. While career politicians in Washington are content with the status quo, I’m not afraid to shake things up and dare to dream of a better future where everyone can not only make ends meet, but thrive.