Juliana Stratton wins Illinois Democratic primary for Senate. She could become the sixth Black woman senator in US history | CNN Politics

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has won the Democratic primary for an open Senate seat, a stunning rise for a little-known state officer now on a glide path to Washington. If victorious in November, Stratton would become the second Black woman to represent Illinois in the Senate – and just the sixth Black woman senator in US history. Former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun in 1992 became the first Black woman ever elected to the Senate. She would join Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland in giving the Senate three Black women members for the first time. Stratton’s victory was engineered in part by JB Pritzker, Illinois’ billionaire governor and her former running mate. Pritzker backed her early in the race and donated $5 million to a pro-Stratton super PAC largely run by his close political operatives. Stratton leaned heavily on Pritzker’s popularity with Illinois Democrats. He appeared regularly in ads and campaign literature supporting her, and she often touted his support and their work together on the campaign trail. It’s a crucial demonstration of Pritzker’s political prowess in his backyard as he considers a