Politics
Illinois Senate rivals debate health care, tariffs in lone matchup before election
Democrat Juliana Stratton and Republican Don Tracy clashed over Medicare for All and President Donald Trump’s tariffs in their only debate for the seat being vacated by Dick Durbin. The exchange also highlighted the candidates’ sharply different approaches to affordability and the economy.
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Republican Don Tracy met Tuesday evening for their only debate in the race to replace U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who announced his retirement last year after nearly three decades in the Senate.
With the midterm election about two weeks away, the candidates sparred over health care costs and tariffs, while also discussing Iran, clean energy and the different needs of northern and southern Illinois.
Health care offered one of the clearest contrasts. Stratton said she supports Medicare for All, arguing that people should not have to choose between seeing a doctor and paying rent.
Tracy warned that the proposal would replace the current system with government-run health care at an estimated cost of $30 trillion to $50 trillion. He argued that the price tag would be a burden for taxpayers.
The candidates also clashed over tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump. Tracy said the effects remain uncertain, pointing to manufacturers who say tariffs have helped bring jobs back to the United States as well as businesses that say they have raised costs.
Stratton rejected that assessment. She said the Supreme Court had ruled the tariffs illegal and argued that refunds would benefit large corporations such as Amazon rather than Illinois residents.
Former Illinois Republican Party chair Pat Brady, now with Mercury Public Affairs, said Tracy was in a difficult position defending Trump’s tariff policy. Brady cited Federal Reserve findings that tariffs had contributed substantially to inflation and said the issue created a challenge for the Republican candidate.
The debate also turned to campaign identity. Tracy called Stratton a democratic socialist, a label she does not use for herself; Stratton noted that Tracy would welcome an endorsement from Trump.
The candidates are running to succeed Durbin, whose departure opens a Senate seat he has held for nearly 30 years. Stratton’s campaign is largely funded by the Pritzker family, while Tracy is financing his campaign himself, according to the debate coverage. Recent polling cited in that coverage placed Tracy 13 to 17 points behind, though Brady cautioned that polls may not be fully accurate.
Brady said the debate showed a contrast in style and message: Tracy presented a conservative case, while Stratton delivered her arguments fluently. He also said the broader political climate could make Election Day difficult for Republicans, while noting uncertainty about the polls.