Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won election to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, defeating Republican Don Tracy, according to the Associated Press, and will become part of the first group of three Black women to serve in the chamber at the same time.
Stratton takes office in January alongside Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, both Democrats elected in 2024 who became the first two Black women to serve simultaneously in 2025. It took more than 235 years for two Black women to serve in the Senate at once; two years later, the number grows to three.
Stratton will be the sixth Black woman to serve in the Senate and the second from Illinois. Carol Moseley Braun, elected in 1992, was the first Black woman ever elected to the chamber. Kamala Harris became the second elected in 2016, and Laphonza Butler was the third to serve, appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2023, but she was never elected.
With Stratton's win, she and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will make Illinois the first state represented by two women of color in the Senate simultaneously.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- When Stratton is sworn in, three Black women will serve in the Senate simultaneously for the first time in history, after more than 235 years of two serving at once.
- Illinois will become the first state represented by two women of color in the Senate at the same time.
- The milestone builds directly on the 2024 elections of Blunt Rochester and Alsobrooks.
Background
Black women have been rare in the Senate since Carol Moseley Braun became the first elected in 1992. Kamala Harris was the second Black woman elected to the chamber, in 2016, and Laphonza Butler later served by appointment after California Gov. Gavin Newsom named her in 2023. Stratton's election adds a sixth Black woman senator and a second from Illinois.
What to Watch
- Stratton's swearing-in in January, which will complete the three-woman cohort in the Senate.
- The rest of the 2026 midterm results, which will determine the makeup of the Senate Stratton joins.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedStratton’s win will create the first group of three Black women serving in the Senate at the same time.Axios: “For the first time in history, three Black women will serve simultaneously in the U.S. Senate when Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton takes office in January.”
- SupportedStratton will take office in January and join Blunt Rochester and Alsobrooks.Axios: “when Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton takes office in January. [...] She'll join Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland)”
- SupportedStratton won the Senate election on Tuesday, defeating Republican Don Tracy, according to the Associated Press.Axios: “Stratton won election to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, defeating Republican Don Tracy, per AP.”
- SupportedBlunt Rochester and Alsobrooks, both elected in 2024, became the first two Black women to serve simultaneously in 2025.Axios: “who were both elected in 2024 and became the first two Black women to serve simultaneously in 2025.”
- SupportedIt took more than 235 years for two Black women to serve in the Senate at the same time.Axios: “It took over 235 years for two Black women to serve in the U.S. Senate at the same time.”
- SupportedTwo years later, the number of Black women serving simultaneously will grow to three.Axios: “Two years later, that number will grow to three.”
- SupportedStratton will be the sixth Black woman to serve in the Senate.Axios: “Stratton will become the sixth Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate”
- SupportedStratton will be the second Black woman from Illinois to serve in the Senate.Axios: “and the second from Illinois”
- SupportedCarol Moseley Braun was the first Black woman elected to the Senate, in 1992.Axios: “Carol Moseley Braun became the first Black woman ever elected to the chamber in 1992.”
- SupportedKamala Harris became the second Black woman elected to the Senate in 2016.Axios: “Former Vice President Kamala Harris became the second Black woman elected to the Senate in 2016.”
- SupportedLaphonza Butler was the third Black woman to serve, appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2023, and was never elected.Axios: “Former Sen. Laphonza Butler became the third to serve when California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed her in 2023, but she was never elected.”
- SupportedStratton and Tammy Duckworth will make Illinois the first state represented by two women of color in the Senate simultaneously.Axios: “Stratton and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will make Illinois the first state represented by two women of color in the Senate simultaneously.”