Juliana Stratton

Juliana Wiggins was born in Chicago on September 8, 1965. She was raised in the Pill Hill neighborhood on the city's South Side. Her father, Henry Wiggins, was a radiologist and her mother, Velma Wiggins, was a teacher who worked in Chicago Public Schools and the City Colleges of Chicago. She attended Kenwood Academy, and earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1987. She returned to Chicago after graduating to work as a video producer for the city government. She later attended law school and earned a Juris Doctor from DePaul University in 1992.

In 1997, after a stint in private practice as a lawyer, Stratton started her own consulting firm, JDS Mediation Services, focused on mediation and alternative dispute resolution. She served as an arbitrator, legal hearing commissioner, and administrative law judge for several government agencies, including the City of Chicago's Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection, Office of Administrative Hearings, and Commission on Human Relations.

From 2011 to 2014, she served as Executive Director of the Cook County Justice Advisory Council, a body charged with coordinating and implementing criminal justice reform efforts for the Cook County Board President. From 2015 to 2017, she was the Director for the Center for Public Safety and Justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She was also a founding board member of the Chicago's Children's Advocacy Center and served on the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Protective Association.

In 2016, Stratton challenged Ken Dunkin for the 5th district seat in the Illinois House of Representatives. Dunkin had faced criticism from fellow Democrats for holding out support on bills that would have reversed changes made by Republican Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to social service programs. Stratton received an endorsement from President Barack Obama, as well as support from several unions due to her support for "child care, labor, and home care".

In the primary election March 2016, she defeated Dunkin decisively, with 68% of the vote. The race was one of the most expensive in the Illinois House, with a total of $6 million in contributions for the candidates.

By August 2017, she had led 25 bills, with nine appearing before Governor Bruce Rauner, and served on several committees.

On August 9, 2017, Stratton was announced as J. B. Pritzker's running mate in the 2018 gubernatorial election. She cited early childhood education and women's reproductive rights as two of her priorities, with criminal justice reform as another.

On November 7, 2018, she was elected to the position of Lieutenant Governor of Illinois with her and Pritzker defeating Republican incumbents Bruce Rauner and Evelyn Sanguinetti. Accordingly, she resigned from the Illinois House of Representatives effective December 31, 2018.

Since taking office, Stratton has spearheaded the Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative and chairs the Illinois Council on Women and Girls, The Governor's Rural Affairs Council, the Military and Economic Development Council, and the Illinois River Coordinating Council.

In July 2021, Pritzker and Stratton announced that they would both be running for re-election in 2022. On November 8, 2022, Pritzker and Stratton won re-election, defeating Republican challengers Darren Bailey and Stephanie Trussell. They began their second term on January 9, 2023.

Democratic primary

In April 2025, Stratton announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate after incumbent Senator Dick Durbin announced he would not seek re-election. She was endorsed by Pritzker and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth. Pritzker contributed $5 million dollars to boost her Senate race.

Stratton was noted in national press as one of several Black women running for U.S. Senate in 2026, including Robin Kelly of Illinois, Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Pamela Stevenson of Kentucky, Marquita Bradshaw of Tennessee, and Catherine Fleming Bruce of South Carolina. Stratton, Bradshaw and state representative from Florida Angie Nixon went on to win the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate.

Stratton won the Democratic primary on March 17, 2026 with 40.4% of the vote, defeating a crowded primary field including U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Kelly, and will face Republican Don Tracy in the general election. If she wins this Senate seat, she will become the sixth black woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate, and would also make Illinois one of the few states to have two women to serve as senators.

Iran War

She opposes U.S. involvement in a war with Iran and criticizes Donald Trump for pursuing military action without a clear plan or justification. She argues that increased military spending is misplaced and that government resources should instead be directed toward lowering everyday costs and improving access to essential services like health care.

Healthcare

Stratton supports a universal system such as “Medicare for All” and believes that health care is a fundamental right rather than a privilege. She emphasizes expanding access, particularly in rural areas where hospitals may close, lowering prescription drug costs, reducing medical debt, and addressing disparities in maternal health outcomes. She points to policies implemented in Illinois as evidence that expanding access and affordability is achievable.

Minimum wage

Stratton supports raising the federal minimum wage to $25 per hour. She argues that current wages are too low for workers to meet basic needs and that people should not have to work multiple jobs to survive. She believes higher wages would help working families achieve greater financial stability while also benefiting local economies.

Immigration

She takes a strongly reform-oriented stance. She supports abolishing ICE, increasing oversight and accountability in immigration enforcement, and creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers. She also supports legislation such as the American DREAM and Promise Act.

Technology

She supports regulating artificial intelligence to protect workers and prevent discrimination. She advocates for job training and education programs to help workers adapt to technological changes and ensure that the benefits of AI are broadly shared.

Filibuster

She would fully support abolishing or significantly reforming the Senate filibuster, particularly if Democrats regain a majority in the chamber. She argued that the current 60-vote threshold makes it too difficult to pass legislation and has blocked progress on key issues such as protecting reproductive rights, passing gun safety laws, and safeguarding voting rights. Stratton emphasized that voters want lawmakers to take action on policies that improve their lives and protect their rights, and she believes the filibuster stands in the way of that goal. She said, "Illinoisans need their next Senator to stand up and act." She also indicated she would be open to major reforms if full abolition is not achievable.

Stratton is married and is the mother of four daughters. She lives in Bronzeville. She first married William Stratton, with whom she had three children; they divorced in 2016. She married Bryan Echols, who has one child. She cites her hobby of running marathons and triathlons as giving her the discipline needed for the rigors of campaigning. In Chicago, she is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the city's chapter of Jack and Jill of America. Stratton was among the first customers to purchase cannabis when Illinois began recreational sale of the drug on January 1, 2020.