Stratton's Senate Win Makes History In Illinois

When Democrat Juliana Stratton is sworn in as a U.S. Senator in January, Illinois will become the first state to have two women of color serving in the Senate.

Stratton, a South Side native who was projected to defeat ex-GOP Chairman Don Tracy, will join Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is the first Thai American woman elected to Congress. It's the latest in a long line of "firsts" for Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran, Blackhawk helicopter pilot and Purple Heart recipient who is also the first double amputee to serve in Congress and the first U.S. Senator to give birth while in office.

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Speaking to NBC, Duckworth acknowledged the milestone. "It's the first time any state has sent two women of color in our nation's entire history," she said. "What it tells me is that representation matters."

Stratton, who has served as lieutenant governor alongside Gov. JB Pritzker since 2018, said she was told "don't ruffle too many feathers" and to sit back and learn when she became a state representative in 2017. "Well, I ignored that advice then, and I certainly won't be sitting back and listening quietly when I get to Washington, D.C.," she said in her victory speech.

On Tuesday night, Duckworth congratulated Stratton, writing, "Couldn't ask for a better partner in the years ahead. A proven leader with an extensive track record of delivering results for families and holding this Administration accountable. Let's go kick some ass."

Also in Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker became the first Democrat to win three terms as governor, as he defeated Darren Bailey for the second time.

Illinois wasn't the only state to achieve a "first" on Tuesday night, with a slew of history-making elections across the U.S.

In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed will become the first Muslim U.S. Senator. In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman to be elected governor in the United States. In New Mexico, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland became the first Native American woman to be elected governor. And in Texas, Democratic Rep. Gina Hinojosa was elected to become the state's first Latina governor.