Progressive YouTube and political commentator Jack Cocchiarella posted an interview on Tuesday with Juliana Stratton, Illinois’s sitting lieutenant governor, who won the Democratic Party primary to replace outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). Stratton explained to Cocchiarella why, if she wins Durbin’s seat, she does not plan to support Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to stay on as the party’s Senate leader.
Stratton, a progressive with the backing of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (IL), decisively won her Tuesday night primary and is the frontrunner going into November in the deep blue state.
“What do you think our leadership needs to look like if you were elected to the United States Senate?” Cocchiarella asked.
“You know, well, first of all, I’ve made it clear that I would not support Chuck Schumer as leader of the Democratic caucus, because I think right now what I’m hearing from voters all across the state of Illinois is that they are fed up. They’re fed up with what’s happening in Washington,” Stratton replied, adding:
They are fed up with, you know, business as usual and the status quo—and feeling like no matter who’s in office, their lives aren’t getting better. And I can say that they are telling me very clearly that they’re looking for fighters and not folders. They want people who are going to stand up, fight for what’s important. I see my role as a senator to be, of course, to pass common sense, good legislation to improve the lives of the people I represent.
Certainly to have a bully pulpit, to speak very clearly and with a loud, clear voice about what we should be looking for and how we’re gonna hold this administration accountable. But there’s also a real desire, and certainly a role that I wanna help take on, to push our party to be more courageous because that’s what people are looking for.
They’re looking for leaders who will meet this moment. We do not have a normal president. He’s not even a normal person. So why are we kind of going about things with business as usual? We need real fighters in Washington, and I’m proud that I can look people in the eye on this campaign trail and let them know that I will be that fighter.
Stratton’s comments aligned closely with much of the campaign messaging, which included an ad where her supporters repeatedly said, “F*ck Trump.” Vox’s Benjy Sarlin shared the ad after Statton’s win and jested, “The winning message in the IL Dem Senate primary.”
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