News: Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) will begin airing TV ads next week as part of a $2 million blitz in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ open Senate seat.
Kelly is locked in a three-way contest for the March 17 primary with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.
Kelly’s campaign has booked $1 million in broadcast TV ads in the Chicago market for the final four weeks of the campaign. Kelly will begin airing cable and streaming ads next week and maintain a presence through the Winter Olympics, bringing the total planned spending to $2 million.
This buy is particularly notable because both Kelly and Stratton are attempting to break through the huge financial advantage Krishnamoorthi has built. Krishnamoorthi has been on air since July 2025 and has spent some $22 million on ads.
One of Krishnamoorthi’s latest ads calls for abolishing ICE in the aftermath of two deadly shootings by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
Stratton has spent less than $60,000 on ads, per AdImpact. But Stratton has received backup from the Illinois Future PAC, which has spent $1.4 million. Stratton’s campaign signaled this week to the super PAC that it wanted the group to air ads highlighting her opposition to ICE, posting b-roll footage of her at a protest in Chicago.
“In Chicago, voters should see that Juliana Stratton is the strongest candidate in this race to stand up to Donald Trump,” her campaign wrote to the super PAC in a public message, known as a “red box.”
Stratton and Kelly will have to use the next six weeks strategically to edge in front of Krishnamoorthi. The Jan. 31 FEC deadline will reveal how much resources they have to carry their message.
Kelly has gained 7,000 new grassroots donors since filing articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, per her campaign. The articles have drawn more than 160 co-sponsors since Kelly filed them on Jan. 14.
One big remaining question: Does Gov. JB Pritzker give a huge cash infusion to the Stratton super PAC? That could upend this race.
