United States Senate election in Illinois, 2026

	← 2022
U.S. Senate, Illinois
	Democratic primary; Republican primary; General election
Election details
	Filing deadline: November 3, 2025
	Primary: March 17, 2026; General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
	Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Voting in Illinois
Race ratings
	Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic; DDHQ and The Hill: Pending; Inside Elections: Solid Democratic; Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
	U.S. Senate battlegrounds; U.S. House battlegrounds; Federal and state primary competitiveness; Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
	U.S. Senate, Illinois; U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th; Illinois elections, 2026; U.S. Congress elections, 2026; U.S. Senate elections, 2026; U.S. House elections, 2026; Alabama U.S. Senate raceAlaska U.S. Senate raceArkansas U.S. Senate raceColorado U.S. Senate raceDelaware U.S. Senate raceGeorgia U.S. Senate raceIdaho U.S. Senate raceIllinois U.S. Senate raceIowa U.S. Senate raceKansas U.S. Senate raceKentucky U.S. Senate raceLouisiana U.S. Senate raceMaine U.S. Senate raceMassachusetts U.S. Senate raceMichigan U.S. Senate raceMinnesota U.S. Senate raceMississippi U.S. Senate raceMontana U.S. Senate raceNebraska U.S. Senate raceNew Hampshire U.S. Senate raceNew Jersey U.S. Senate raceNew Mexico U.S. Senate raceNorth Carolina U.S. Senate raceOklahoma U.S. Senate raceOregon U.S. Senate raceRhode Island U.S. Senate raceSouth Carolina U.S. Senate raceSouth Dakota U.S. Senate raceTennessee U.S. Senate raceTexas U.S. Senate raceVirginia U.S. Senate raceWest Virginia U.S. Senate raceWyoming U.S. Senate raceSubmit

Illinois 2026 elections

U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Appellate courts • School boards • Municipal • All local elections by county • How to run for office

Voters in Illinois will elect one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on November 3, 2026. The primary is March 17, 2026. The filing deadline was November 3, 2025. The election will fill the Class II Senate seat held by Dick Durbin (D), who first took office in 1997. Durbin announced he would not seek re-election on April 23, 2025, saying, "The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch."^[1] The Associated Press' Mary Clare Jalonick and John O'Connor called Durbin's retirement "a generational shift in Senate Democratic leadership where he has long held the No. 2 position."^[2] Axios' Justin Kaufman wrote, "The race to replace Durbin will bring a heated primary election to Illinois, while reshaping the state's current congressional delegation."^[3]

As of December 5, 2025, noteworthy declared and potential candidates included the following. Click here to view all of the candidates for the seat:

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D), first elected in 2013 (Declared)
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D), first elected in 2016 (Declared)
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (D), who took office with Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) in 2018 (Declared)
Former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy (R), attorney at Brown, Hay & Stephens (Declared)
Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs (D), first elected in 2015 (Potential)^[4]

NBC News' Natasha Korecki wrote, "In recent months, Stratton has served as an opposing voice to President Donald Trump's administration, including in advocating for additional funding for education in the state amid announced federal cuts."^[5] Pritzker endorsed Stratton.^[4]

Announcing her candidacy, Kelly said, "I’ve been an effective leader. I’m a fighter. I’ve been standing up to Donald Trump just in these last three months, with my town hall meetings, with my face-to-face or my teletown hall meetings. I mean, the proof is in the pudding of the work I’ve done."^[6]

Announcing his bid for the seat, Krishnamoorthi said in a campaign video, "I’ve made it my mission to fight for families like the ones I grew up with. People who just want a chance to work hard and realize their dreams. So I’ll never be quiet while billionaires like Elon Musk and a convicted felon deny the dreams of the next generation for their own egos and personal profit."^[7]

Tracy announced his candidacy in August 2025, saying, "I will represent all of Illinois, not just Chicago."^[8] Tracy said, "With the cost-of-living continuing to rise, life is simply unaffordable for working families — especially in Illinois, where we suffer under the highest tax burden in the nation and endure an economy that lags the rest of the Midwest because of tax-and-spend Democrats."^[8]

Several other Republicans, including Doug Bennett, R. Cary Capparelli, Casey Chlebek, John Goodman, and Pamela Denise Long, are also running. Bennett ran in the 2018 general election for Illinois' 10th Congressional District against U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D), losing 65%-35%. Capparelli is an international businessman and university professor.^[9] Chlebek ran in the 2020 and 2022 U.S. Senate elections in Illinois, earning 6% of the vote in the 2020 primary and 11% in the 2022 primary. Goodman is an Air Force veteran and political newcomer.^[10] Long was an occupational therapist, political commentator, and doctor of organizational development.^[11]

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R), first elected in 2015, was considered a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate seat.^[12] He announced in August 2025 that he would run for re-election to the U.S. House.^[13]

Both of Illinois' U.S. Senators—Durbin and Tammy Duckworth—are Democrats. The state's last Republican senator was Mark Kirk, who left office in 2017, following his 2016 defeat to Duckworth.

Illinois voted 54.4% to 43.5% for Kamala Harris (D) over Donald Trump (R) in the 2024 presidential election. For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

Candidates and election results

General election

The primary will occur on March 17, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for U.S. Senate Illinois

Austin Mink, Tyrone Muhammad, and Anthony Smith are running in the general election for U.S. Senate Illinois on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Austin Mink (Independent)
		Tyrone Muhammad (Independent)
	Submit photo	Anthony Smith (Independent)

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Illinois

The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Illinois on March 17, 2026.

		Candidate
		Steve Botsford Jr.
		Sean Brown
		Awisi Bustos
		Jonathan Dean
		Robin Kelly
		Raja Krishnamoorthi
		Bryan Maxwell
		Kevin Ryan
		Juliana Stratton
		Christopher Swann

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Illinois

The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Illinois on March 17, 2026.

		Candidate
		R. Cary Capparelli
		Casey Chlebek
		Jeannie Evans
		Pamela Denise Long
		Jimmy Lee Tillman II
	Submit photo	Don Tracy

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Austin Mink

Party: Independent

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography: "My name is Austin James Mink. I’m from Winthrop Harbor Illinois—a small town in Northern Chicagoland. I come from a working-class family, a family of union workers. I am a filmmaker. I’m not the traditional person who would run for US Senate, I come from a modest living not one of wealth, I come from a family that’s struggled, I lost my father when I was only twenty-two years old, who was a tough thing for us as it was all so sudden, I have dealt with a lot of loss in my life, my family has experienced a lot of loss and grief, it changes your perspective on life and I believe it’s made me so much more compassionate and understanding of everyone, it’s made me strive to want to reach out and help as many people as I can, that’s why I’m running for US Senate not for vanity but because of my desire to help others and my commitment to public service. I’m an outsider in this race but that only makes me more determined to get to work to introduce myself and to learn so much more about the state of Illinois, the state I’ve lived in and have loved for all 31 years of my life so far. I’m the youngest person in the race at 31, 33 at swearing-in if elected. I’d also be the first openly bisexual-pansexual US Senator from Illinois if elected which would mark a historic first for the state."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

The most caring and compassionate. Would be the first to co-sponsor Medicare For All as a US Senator from Illinois. We need universal healthcare. We need compassionate reform. No half measures. No flirting on the edges of a broken system. The healthcare system in America is broken and it desperately needs transformative change and a leader that will fight tirelessly to bring about that change. I believe healthcare is a fundamental human right.

The candidate for anyone skeptical of the establishment. There’s a lot of money in this primary. I believe in ending the flow of dark money in our elections. I believe voters should decide not the oligarchy. I will fight tooth and nail against the oligarchy. I believe in a dynamic progressive wealth tax like in the OLIGARCH ACT that waxes and wanes with respect to where disparities lie. People don’t want another billionaire proxy in the US Senate. Illinois will need a fighter for the working class full stop. I will protect all Illinoisans from oligarchic greed and big money. I believe in fairness, transparency, and equality.

I am a left-libertarian. The candidate that appeals to all political landscapes in Illinois, I’m not just the candidate for democrats, I’m the candidate for independents, moderates, and anti-MAGA Republicans. I believe bipartisanship is important but you shouldn’t abandon your morals and values for the sake of bipartisanship, that’s the opposite of leadership to me. I plan to be a leader as a US Senator but just a follower. I’m not just going to be an empty suit. I plan to go to work to make a difference. We need to end mass warrantless surveillance. We need to repeal bad post-911 laws that have eroded civil liberties such as the PATRIOT ACT. Civil liberties need to be protected now more than ever. I’ll fight against authoritarianism.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Illinois

Election information in Illinois: March 17, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

In-person: March 17, 2026
By mail: Postmarked by Feb. 17, 2026
Online: March 1, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

In-person: March 16, 2026
By mail: Received by March 12, 2026
Online: March 12, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

In-person: March 17, 2026
By mail: Postmarked by March 17, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Feb. 5, 2026 to March 16, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (CT)

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/AustinMink2025.jpeg

Austin Mink (Independent)

The most caring and compassionate. Would be the first to co-sponsor Medicare For All as a US Senator from Illinois. We need universal healthcare. We need compassionate reform. No half measures. No flirting on the edges of a broken system. The healthcare system in America is broken and it desperately needs transformative change and a leader that will fight tirelessly to bring about that change. I believe healthcare is a fundamental human right.

The candidate for anyone skeptical of the establishment. There’s a lot of money in this primary. I believe in ending the flow of dark money in our elections. I believe voters should decide not the oligarchy. I will fight tooth and nail against the oligarchy. I believe in a dynamic progressive wealth tax like in the OLIGARCH ACT that waxes and wanes with respect to where disparities lie. People don’t want another billionaire proxy in the US Senate. Illinois will need a fighter for the working class full stop. I will protect all Illinoisans from oligarchic greed and big money. I believe in fairness, transparency, and equality.

I am a left-libertarian. The candidate that appeals to all political landscapes in Illinois, I’m not just the candidate for democrats, I’m the candidate for independents, moderates, and anti-MAGA Republicans. I believe bipartisanship is important but you shouldn’t abandon your morals and values for the sake of bipartisanship, that’s the opposite of leadership to me. I plan to be a leader as a US Senator but just a follower. I’m not just going to be an empty suit. I plan to go to work to make a difference. We need to end mass warrantless surveillance. We need to repeal bad post-911 laws that have eroded civil liberties such as the PATRIOT ACT. Civil liberties need to be protected now more than ever. I’ll fight against authoritarianism.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I am extremely passionate about being a legislator. I have many bills I’d like to introduce if elected, one being repealing the patriot act and Fisa which have eroded civil liberties, a bill enhancing digital privacy laws, and a bill restoring section 230 to its pre-2018 form with alternative trafficking methods to mitigate concerns. Bills ensuring we completely enforce the Leahy Law and that the US doesn’t support gross human rights violations abroad, I will co-sponsor and support an arms embargo against Israel which is using our military assistance for genocidal war crimes in the guise of combating Hamas, its collective punishment period and it must end. I plan to stand up for the rule of law both domestically and abroad.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I don't want to leave anyone out, there’s so many people I look up to, I don’t want to give a disservice to them so I’ll simply leave it at many.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Noam Chomsky, read and listen to anything he’s said or written, he has shaped my views a great deal as an influential left libertarian.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Integrity

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Empathy

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Austin Mink (Independent)

To protect the citizens of the United States of America.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Someone who’d always fight for what’s right. Someone that would never compromise to lead people willingly to their graves. Someone who was the real deal.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I was about five when the tragic shooting of Columbine happened and was about seven when 9/11 happened, those are two pretty massive events that shook our nation at its core, both unbelievably tragic, though I don’t remember exact memories of those events such as where I was or doing, I’ve lived through a lot of history, not all of it bad but not all of it good either.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Personal assistant, was a temporary job position for a summer when I was 19 years old.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I can’t choose. It’s like asking what your favorite movie is; it has no answer, as answering such a question greatly minimizes the rich tapestry and history of literature and the arts.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I don’t know off the top of my head so I took a personality quiz and got Jack Dawson from Titanic. Makes sense, I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Nothing comes to mind at this exact moments but I get songs stuck in my head all the time so one will come around at any moment, ask me on a specific date, it’s a case-by-case basis.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Austin Mink (Independent)

A lot of struggles that many working people and families go through like worrying about putting food on the table, like many Illinoisans my family has relied on SNAP benefits to help afford food at the end of the day, I understand firsthand on broken our healthcare system is, the issue of lack of prescription affordability, I’ve experienced it, that’s what makes me so much more compassionate and empathic to all Illinoisans because I’m just one of you, I’ve been out the other side and I will protect the other side from people that have never been on that other side themselves.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Authoritarianism. We’re seeing people introduce legislation to put people in prison for up to twenty years for engaging their First Amendment rights and using the most flimsy of allegations to do so, I’m seeing very slippery slopes, if not rectified we could be heading into a very scary and dangerous place, we need to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans now more than ever. We’re seeing attacks on free speech like never before to appease special interests, interests that aren’t of the interest of the American people, things that are the exact opposite of what’s in the interest of the American people, things that in reality are making us all less safe.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I support term limits. I will co sponsor the resolution to oppose term limits for Congress; six years (three terms) for the House and twelve years (two terms) for the Senate. That will increase productivity, I don’t believe Congress should be a lifetime appointment, I think it should be about serving your country, being as effective as possible to leave a mark then pass the torch.

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Many. For one, the most important is confirming or denying nominees from the presidential cabinet, sub cabinet, to judicial nominations, that’s what gives the US Senate it’s edge is those additional responsibilities.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for senators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I believe anyone can be a legislator but it takes special talent to be good at it. It’s beneficial absolutely but I don’t believe it’s a requirement especially when there are so many barriers that keep ordinary people from getting into office which is something I hope to break. I believe it’s important to be an outsider, to stand up and say you won’t give up on the country and state you love that you’ll do everything day in and day out to help every Illinoisan from the metropolitan to the rural downstates, everyone should be represented, I believe it’ll take a outsider to win to do the right thing by everyone in this fantastic state of Illinois.

What do you think of the filibuster?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Abolish it.

Is there a particular senator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I’m a pretty big fan of that Bernie Sanders fella. In all seriousness, no, I plan to be my own person in the US Senate, there’s been many great senators who’ve done incredible things but I plan to do my own thing, I don’t have one particular influence or model, I believe you should find your own way, bring your own uniqueness to the table.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Austin Mink (Independent)

What was the pirate arrested for? ARRRRRRson!

Where do polar bears keep their money? A snowbank.

Bears without Bees are just Ears.

Okay, I’ll show myself out.

How would you evaluate a judicial nominee?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Examine if they’ll serve the American people above all else. That their loyality remains to the citizens of this great nation.

What kind of relationships would you build with other senators?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Legislative relationships based on doing what’s right and what helps every American in this country, what will lift people out of poverty, what will make life less difficult, to ease burdens, to lower costs, to make the environment healthier to ensure the burden doesn’t fall on the future generation.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Should never compromise if it hurts anyone in this country. We should always fight for what’s right for this country, what keeps our communities safe, I won’t sell out the citizenry of this nation, I won’t abandon protecting the civil liberties of Americans, I won’t sell out the health of our environment, our children’s futures, some things are better with a balanced approach absolutely, but there are things we all agree should be fought for and protected without a ounce of compromise, to me, that’s what it means to be a true leader, what separates leaders from followers. Compromise in policymaking depends on what is being compromised for, it’s a case-by-case basis but on the big picture, no, I don’t think it’s overall favorable if it throws anyone under the bus and where we are as a country right now, we shouldn’t compromise on anything, these are times where we’ll need a fighter to stand up against ever-increasing authoritarianism and billionaires that want to cut programs people rely on to survive for a tax break to their friends in the 1%.

How should the U.S. Senate use its investigative powers?

Austin Mink (Independent)

To weed out corruption full stop all across the board. It’s that simple.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Austin Mink (Independent)

None yet but we’re actively seeking endorsements from progressive groups and politicians.

What criteria would you apply when deciding whether to confirm presidential appointees to their Cabinet?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Do they serve the American people over special interests. Will they stand up to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans. Will they work to make the lives of the American people better or will they make it worse, do they have integrity or are they corrupt cronies.

What committees interest you?

Austin Mink (Independent)

I aim to be as effective as possible on whatever committees I’m assigned to if elected. Based on my expertise, for speculation only, I think I’d be most effective on the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. All of these are committees I believe I’d thrive in the most and the best fit for representing the interests of Illinois in the United States Senate.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Austin Mink (Independent)

Better if there was more of both.

You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:

Tyrone Muhammad

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Steve Botsford Jr.	Democratic Party	$101,792	$101,792	$0	As of September 30, 2025
Sean Brown	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Awisi Bustos	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Jonathan Dean	Democratic Party	$13,278	$6,618	$6,660	As of September 30, 2025
Robin Kelly	Democratic Party	$2,736,148	$754,261	$1,981,887	As of September 30, 2025
Raja Krishnamoorthi	Democratic Party	$24,878,521	$6,790,269	$18,088,251	As of September 30, 2025
Bryan Maxwell	Democratic Party	$5,101	$2,119	$2,982	As of September 30, 2025
Kevin Ryan	Democratic Party	$44,917	$26,998	$17,919	As of September 30, 2025
Juliana Stratton	Democratic Party	$2,084,875	$1,165,100	$919,775	As of September 30, 2025
Christopher Swann	Democratic Party	$4,768	$4,175	$593	As of September 30, 2025
R. Cary Capparelli	Republican Party	$10,495	$4,576	$5,919	As of December 31, 2025
Casey Chlebek	Republican Party	$80,000	$57,475	$22,525	As of September 30, 2025
Jeannie Evans	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Pamela Denise Long	Republican Party	$8,631	$4,009	$4,623	As of June 30, 2025
Jimmy Lee Tillman II	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Don Tracy	Republican Party	$2,062,222	$9,970	$2,052,252	As of September 30, 2025
Austin Mink	Independent	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Tyrone Muhammad	Independent	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Anthony Smith	Independent	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. * Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.^[14]
Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.^[15]^[16]^[17]

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Illinois, 2026
Race tracker	Race ratings
	1/13/2026	1/6/2026	12/23/2025	12/16/2025
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill	Pending	Pending	Pending	Pending
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Illinois in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Illinois, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2026
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Illinois	U.S. Senate	Established parties	5,000	N/A	11/3/2025	Source
Illinois	U.S. Senate	Independents	25,000	N/A	5/26/2026	Source

Election history

The section below details election results for this state's U.S. Senate elections dating back to 2016.