Richard Durbin

The race to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin is heating up, as Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and former Illinois GOP chairman Don Tracy square off.

The midterm elections are less than two weeks away, and Illinois’ race to replace a sitting senator is part of a larger backdrop over the battle for control of the Senate between Republicans and Democrats.

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While Stratton and Tracy are at opposite ends of the political spectrum, there is one thing they agree on: what the top issue in their Senate race ultimately is, and that is one of affordability.

Voters are increasingly agitated about the cost of everyday living, whether it’s fuel, housing, food or any number of other purchases, and while the candidates agree it’s a significant issue, they are offering different views on what’s caused it and what can be done to fix it.

“Everything is too expensive right now, whether it's filling up your gas tank at the gas pump, whether it is health care, whether it is utilities, groceries,” Stratton said.

Stratton wants to increase regulations on some industries but is also focused on increasing salaries and access to affordable healthcare as part of her approach to tackling difficult economic questions.

"I want to raise the federal minimum wage and I also want to get the United States Senate to lower costs, especially around healthcare and make sure that we can work to expand access to affordable quality healthcare,” she said.

While Stratton has blasted the policies of President Donald Trump, including his Medicaid cuts and his administration’s handling of the ongoing conflict in Iran, Tracy blames Democrats in Illinois, as well as the administration of former President Joe Biden, for high prices.

“People are hurting because Illinois is such a high-cost state, and we have so much inflation lingering after the four years of Biden,” he said.

Tracy recognizes voter discontent over higher prices, but says that increasing support for Democratic Socialism is unnerving to some voters.

“More and more, I hear people concerned about socialism, since the Democrat Socialists won many of the Democrat primaries,” he said.

Tracy has said Stratton’s viewpoints on issues leave her alongside Democratic Socialists, but Stratton disagrees.

“I'm not a socialist. I'm a Democrat, and I am going to work hard to make sure that Democrats take back not just the House, but the Senate,” she said.

Another issue the two candidates disagree on is whether the Supreme Court is operating as intended after a series of high-profile rulings on issues like abortion, voting rights and more. Tracy dismisses calls to expand the court or to impose term limits on justices.

“I think the system works pretty well as it is, except, it’s already too political,” he said.

Stratton says all options should be on the table.

“We have to look at things like expanding the court or term limits. I mean, these are lifetime appointments,” she said. “And I've made it clear that I'm not going to vote to confirm any of Donald Trump's nominees to the Supreme Court.”

Stratton is also in favor of the idea of abolishing ICE, arguing that the federal government needs to rethink the way it enforces immigration laws.

“It is a priority, because we are still seeing ICE terrorize our communities,” she said.

Tracy is dismissive of the idea, saying getting rid of ICE would be akin to an “open borders” policy.

“Abolishing ICE means abolishing interior immigration law enforcement,” he said.

Even though many of his views align with the Trump administration, Tracy has argued he would not blindly support the president’s policies if elected to the Senate.

“I like some of the things President Trump does and some of the things I don’t like. I will not be a rubber stamp for anyone,” he said.