Ad wars boiling over in U.S. Senate race as Stratton, Krishnamoorthi feud intensifies
After simmering for weeks, the rivalry between Democratic Senate candidates U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is veering into vitriol.
Krishnamoorthi’s campaign debuted a negative ad this weekend blasting Stratton about campaign finances, which staffers said was triggered by “six months of repeated attacks” against the Schaumburg lawmaker.
In response, Stratton spokesperson Allison Janowski countered that “Juliana Stratton has the momentum in this race, and Raja Krishnamoorthi has gotten desperate.”
Krishnamoorthi, Stratton and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Lynwood are the front-runners in the March 17 primary election.
Stratton, of Chicago, has slammed Krishnamoorthi for accepting contributions from Palantir, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contractor, saying it indicates he won’t stand up to ICE.
Krishnamoorthi said he gave that money to immigrant groups. He’s criticized Stratton for getting support from a super PAC that received donations from CoreCivic, a contractor that operates ICE’s Broadview center.
Typically, Krishnamoorthi campaign ads are upbeat but the latest features a voice-over stating, “Juliana Stratton keeps getting caught,” and ends warning about “hypocrisy we can’t trust.”
On Monday, Illinois Future PAC announced it is releasing an ad Tuesday that targets Krishnamoorthi over ICE contractor donations and claims he is misleading voters about Stratton. Krishnamoorthi “sold us out,” a narrator says.
The super PAC, which has funded other Stratton ads, received a $5 million contribution from Gov. JB Pritzker in December.
“Raja Krishnamoorthi is an immigrant who has fought like hell to rein in ICE and hold Donald Trump and his roving gangs accountable,” campaign spokesperson Hannah Goss said.
Meanwhile, Stratton’s campaign aired an ad Thursday, featuring voters declaring, “F--- Trump.”
“They said it — not me,” Stratton says in the commercial.
Incumbent U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is not seeking reelection.
‘We’re not doing this’
A Republican candidate for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District who confronted a Democratic rival at a public appearance earlier in the campaign staged a repeat over the weekend.
This time, Rocio Cleveland — a GOP hopeful from Island Lake — got in Chicagoan Kat Abughazaleh’s face Saturday during Abughazaleh’s visit to the Rohingya Cultural Center in the West Rogers Park neighborhood. The center serves Muslim refugees from Myanmar.
While recording the encounter, Cleveland walked up to Abughazaleh and other people, interrupted their conversation and began talking about her. People quickly got between Cleveland and Abughazaleh, who told the Republican, “we’re not doing this bit” and urged her to “get help.”
Cleveland dropped off a gift bag for Abughazaleh and made some crude comments before walking out.
In November, Cleveland similarly confronted Abughazaleh at a candidate meet-and-greet at a Jewish center in Northbrook. A video of that encounter went viral on social media.
Fourteen Democrats and four Republicans are running for the congressional seat. Incumbent Democrat Jan Schakowsky of Evanston isn’t seeking reelection.
· Political Roundabout is an occasional column on campaign, legislative and political news with a suburban focus.