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Illinois Senate Hopefuls Hold First Face-Off at Union Forum

Labor leaders will weigh primary endorsements on Dec. 9, positioning unions to shape the race.

Overview

  • Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly pledged strong support for organized labor and worker priorities at IBEW Local 134 in Chicago.
  • The forum, hosted by the Illinois AFL-CIO and Chicago Federation of Labor and moderated by national AFL-CIO strategist Jennifer Rodriguez, marked their first direct exchange.
  • All three criticized President Trump’s immigration enforcement, citing Operation Midway Blitz, and vowed to pursue humane reforms and accountability.
  • Krishnamoorthi said ICE is "out of control" and pressed for a pathway to citizenship, while Stratton decried "atrocities" and urged redirecting recent ICE funding to social programs.
  • With 14 Democrats running for the open seat, AFL-CIO member unions representing more than 850,000 workers plan a Dec. 9 meeting in Countryside to consider endorsements.