Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said she will run for the Senate in 2026 if incumbent Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., retires, Politico reported.

Stratton, who has been lieutenant governor since 2019, told Democrats that deep-pocketed Gov. J.B. Pritzker will back her campaign, Politico said. Stratton has been calling key Democrats to ask for support, three Democrats told Politico.

“Juliana continues to keep an open mind about future opportunities, and if she does decide to pursue higher office, she’d be proud to earn the governor’s support while working to build a broad grassroots coalition,” a spokesperson told Politico.

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