The race to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is quickly becoming one of the most expensive and negative Democratic primaries of the 2026 cycle, fueled in part by millions of dollars from cryptocurrency-backed super PACs.

Three prominent Illinois Democrats are competing for the open seat: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), who represents a suburban Chicago district; Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, a close political ally of Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL); and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), who has built a national profile on gun violence prevention and public health. The three contenders are leading a Democratic primary that is widely expected to determine Illinois’s next senator, given the state’s strong Democratic lean in federal elections.

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