On Tuesday, voters in Illinois did more than choose a nominee for the United States Senate. They made clear that the political landscape is changing — and that Black women are at the center of that change.
Juliana Stratton won the Democratic primary with 39.8% of the vote, defeating Raja Krishnamoorthi, who received 33.3%, and Robin Kelly, who earned 18.3%.
If she wins in November, Stratton could become only the sixth Black woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate — and part of a historic first: three Black women serving in the Senate at the same time.
But this moment is bigger than one candidate.
Two Black Women on the Ballot Is Progress
This race featured two dynamic, qualified Black women leaders: Stratton and Congresswoman Robin Kelly.
For some, that reality sparked quiet conversations and familiar doubts — questions about viability, concerns about “splitting the vote,” and the kind of whispers that have long followed Black women candidates.
Let’s be clear. The presence of two Black women in this race was not a problem. It was progress.
For generations, Black women have been told to wait our turn, to step aside, and to make space for others. In Illinois, we saw something different. We saw what it looks like when there is not just one path, but many — when Black women are not competing for a single seat at the table, but building a bigger table altogether.
That is what growth looks like.
And it is the direct result of years of organizing, investment, and belief in Black women’s leadership.
Illinois Has Led Before
Illinois knows what it means to lead on this front.
In 1992, the state made history by electing Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black woman ever to serve in the United States Senate. Yet it took 16 years before another Black woman, Kamala Harris, would follow.
Illinois has also been a launching ground for historic leadership, including the election of Barack Obama to the Senate before he became president of the United States.
Since then, progress has accelerated, but it remains far too slow.
Laphonza Butler, Angela Alsobrooks, and Lisa Blunt Rochester have each added to that legacy, bringing the total number of Black women who have ever served in the Senate to just five.
Five.
In a body of 100 members, across more than two centuries, that number tells the story. The United States Senate remains overwhelmingly white and male.
That is why this moment matters.
What Representation Makes Possible
As Illinois’ lieutenant governor, Stratton has been a leading voice on advancing equity, expanding economic opportunity, and addressing disparities that impact working families.
Her record speaks to what happens when Black women lead.
From advancing maternal health initiatives to supporting the next generation of girls in leadership and championing policies that uplift communities across the state, she has demonstrated that representation is not just about who holds office — but about the impact they make once they are there.
At Higher Heights, we often say that Black women are the architects of our democracy, as well as its protectors and defenders.
This moment proves that we are also its future.
The Work Ahead
If we want to see more Black women in the Senate, a Black woman in a governor’s mansion, and more Black women shaping policy at every level, we have to keep doing the work.
We have to keep organizing, mobilizing, and investing in Black women candidates and the communities that power them.
Because this moment tells us something important:
Our work is working.
Now we have to keep going.
Glynda C. Carr is President and CEO of Higher Heights for America, a 501(c)(4) organization, and its connected federal political action committee, Higher Heights for America PAC, which works to expand Black women’s elected representation and voting participation. Learn more at www.higherheightsforamerica.org.