Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) became the first Senate Democrat to announce his run for Democratic whip on Monday, bringing two new endorsements in his launch. In an interview with the Washington Post, Schatz confirmed he would attempt to replace Sen.

With no other Democratic candidates announcing campaigns for the 2026 primary by Monday morning, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton secured the endorsement of two of the state’s top Democrats before fielding any competition.

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth is wading into the open primary to succeed longtime Sen. Dick Durbin, endorsing Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton to join her in representing Illinois in the Senate.