Emerson College
8%6%4%2%0%
5.6%
Republican
Don Tracy
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois
$11.0K
NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Live Odds
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
Don Tracy is trading at 3% to win the Illinois Senate winner? on prediction markets.
Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleAttorney
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
GenderMale
LocationIllinois
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BackgroundAttorney
EducationArizona State University (undergraduate degree)
Notable personal detailsDon Tracy is an Illinois attorney and Republican political figure who ran for the U.S. Senate in Illinois in the 2026 election cycle. He served as chairman of the Illinois Republican Party (2021–2024) and previously chaired the Illinois Gaming Board (2015–2019). He has worked as senior counsel at the Springfield-based law firm Brown, Hay & Stephens and has been active in Illinois civic and professional organizations.
SourcesShowHide
fec.govnews.wttw.comdontracyforil.comshawlocal.combhslaw.comen.wikipedia.orgcapitolnewsillinois.comvote-usa.orgelectionhistory.madisoncountyil.govkanegop.orgdailyherald.comchicago.suntimes.comprofiles.superlawyers.comdocquery.fec.govmchenrycountyil.govillinois.gopclerk2.kanecountyil.govkendallcountyil.govreddit.comnprillinois.orgsangamonsun.comtheintelligencer.commetroeaststar.comwcmspi.comprairiestatewire.comillinoisreview.comwill.illinois.eduyournews.commchenrycountyblog.comyahoo.comcapitolfax.comfacebook.comnorthfieldgop.orgpolitico.comfirstalert4.comabc7chicago.comipmnewsroom.orgevanstonroundtable.comemersoncollegepolling.comchicagotribune.comsj-r.comreutersconnect.com13abc.comabcnews.comyoutube.comlocalcandidates.orgballotready.orgjustfacts.votesmart.orgwikidata.orgstatic.votesmart.orgcdn.ballotpedia.orgcommerce.senate.govenergy.senate.govdurbin.senate.goves.wikipedia.org
Political Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports lowering the cost of living by cutting taxes and reducing regulatory burdens; emphasizes tax relief for working families and policies to make Illinois more business-friendly to spur growth and manufacturing. Positions call for tax reductions and limiting tax-and-spend policies attributed to Democrats in Illinois.
Healthcare
Supports market-driven reforms to lower costs, emphasizing price transparency, increased competition, expansion of Health Savings Accounts, and small-business pooling; criticizes the Affordable Care Act as unaffordable and calls for tighter enforcement of subsidy eligibility. Opposes broad government expansion of coverage and favors policies that increase private-market choice and cost pressure.
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Immigration & Border
Supports stronger border enforcement and secure borders while criticizing policies described as opposing enforcement; emphasizes stopping policies that block enforcement to protect communities. Advocates for stricter measures against illegal entry and ties border security to public safety.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports overturning Roe v. Wade and favors returning abortion regulation to the states. He endorses the Illinois Republican Party platform valuing life from conception to natural death and expressed support for the Supreme Court decision that returned abortion regulation to state authority.
Climate & Energy
Supports an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy that includes nuclear, natural gas, renewables, and emerging technologies while prioritizing grid reliability and energy independence. Rejects what he calls "radical, unrealistic mandates" that raise utility bills or force premature shutdowns of reliable power plants and favors policies that aim to keep energy costs low for working families. Describes himself as a "rational environmentalist" who supports transitioning to cleaner energy in a responsible, affordable way.
Latest News
AINews Summary
Last updatedAug 8, 2026
Don Tracy is now the Republican nominee for Illinois’ open U.S. Senate seat and will face Democrat Juliana Stratton in the November election. Recent coverage says his campaign is trailing badly in fundraising, with Stratton holding a large financial edge and Tracy relying partly on a personal loan. He has also been appearing at conservative events, including an anti-abortion rally, where he said he does not support nationalizing abortion law.
fec.gov+54
Articles
CTChicago Tribune1 month ago
Illinois GOP's anemic fundraising underscores its life in the political wilderness
Negative
DQDavenport Quad-City Times6 months ago
Lawmakers advance Pritzker’s school cell phone ban, social media regulations
Neutral
PJPeoria Journal Star6 months ago
Illinois primary election results 2026. Who won state, local races?
Positive
CTChicago Tribune6 months ago
How Illinois voted in the US Senate race
Positive
Latest Polls
Illinois Republican Senate nominee?
Recent polling results and the candidate's current average in the race.
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Campaign Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Campaign finance totals from the latest available reporting period.
Total raisedCash on hand
$2.5M
$1.8M
$1.2M
$615.0K
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$2.5M
$1.5M
$947.5K
$52.6K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements