Illinois’ Democratic Senate primary is one of the most expensive in America, and there are plenty of undecided voters left.
Of the Democratic candidates running for the party’s nomination, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has been leading most polls over Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Rep. Robin Kelly, but there are still plenty of voters who haven’t picked their preferred candidate in the lead-up to the election.
Some polls have indicated that there could be up to one-third of Democratic Party voters who haven’t decided on their candidate, and when one couples that with potentially high turnout in the highly consequential race to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, there is plenty on the line.
Krishnamoorthi has been on television early and often in the race, and has raised the second-most money of any U.S. Senate candidate nationwide, raking in more than $15 million.
Even with that prodigious fundraising and his polling advantages, he notably has not received the endorsement of anyone else in Illinois’ Congressional delegation.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth endorsed Stratton shortly after she announced her candidacy, as did Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
Reps. Jesús “Chuy” García, Danny Davis, and Eric Sorensen have also endorsed Stratton.
Several current members of Congress have endorsed Kelly, including Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy and Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, but no other members of Illinois’ Congressional delegation have thrown their support behind her campaign.
While other members of Congress have endorsed Krishnamoorthi, including Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton and Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro, Democratic strategist Pete Giangreco questions the meaning behind none of Illinois’ delegation doing so.
“It really goes to effectiveness,” he said. “If your colleagues aren’t for you when you’re running for U.S. Senate, what happens when you get there?”
Stratton has pledged not to take corporate money for her campaign, but her super-PAC has received millions in donations from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who endorsed her when she announced her run for Senate.
Kelly has raised just over $1 million, and has criticized her rivals’ fundraising methods during the election cycle.
Political scientist Stephen Maynard Caliendo said that corporate money or not, the presence of big dollars in Illinois’ Senate race cannot be discounted as the election nears.
“it’s hard to argue that this is sort of a person-on-the-street donation when you get that much from Governor Pritzker. Corporate or not corporate, not-for-profit or philanthropy, it’s still big money,” he said.
