Press Releases

Official campaign announcements and statements

June 1, 2026

Don Tracy: Washington Needs More Common Sense Anti-Fraud Reforms

SPRINGFIELD — Recent proposals advanced by Florida lawmakers to strengthen anti-fraud protections and recover stolen taxpayer dollars would increase penalties for fraud, bolster law enforcement tools to investigate and prosecute scams, improve oversight of taxpayer-funded programs, and help recover money stolen from taxpayers.
May 28, 2026

Don Tracy: Illinois Families Crushed by Highest Property Taxes in America

SPRINGFIELD — According to a new report from the Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois tied New Jersey in 2024 for the highest effective residential property tax rate in the nation at 1.88%, more than double the national average of 0.86%. On a median-priced Illinois home, that translates to a property tax bill of roughly $5,452 per year.
May 22, 2026

Tracy Calls for Investigation Into IDHS Allegations

SPRINGFIELD — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy is calling for greater oversight and accountability after State Senator Steve McClure raised concerns that the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) was sending voter registration applications to noncitizens applying for public benefits.
May 19, 2026

Don Tracy Congratulates New Illinois Republican Party Chairman

SPRINGFIELD — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy congratulates former DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan on his election as Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party and thanks outgoing Chair Kathy Salvi for her leadership and long time excellent service to the State Republican Party.
May 11, 2026

North Carolina Prison Release Fallout Shows the Dangerous Consequences of the “Illinois Blueprint”

SPRINGFIELD — According to a recent Fox News Digital report, more than 500 inmates released under a Democrat-backed COVID-era prison release program in North Carolina were rearrested on new charges within two years. The program, implemented during Democrat Governor Roy Cooper’s administration, resulted in approximately 3,500 inmates being released over a 180-day period in 2021.
April 3, 2026

Don Tracy: Chicago Leaders Admit There’s a Crime Problem, But Still Refuse to Fix It

CHICAGO — Chicago officials are scrambling to respond to the latest wave of “teen takeover” chaos in Hyde Park. At the same time, a long-awaited Chicago police staffing study commissioned by the City Council confirms what should have been obvious all along: the city needs significantly more officers on the street. The report recommends adding hundreds of officers and shifting more than 600 officers out of administrative roles and back into active policing.
March 30, 2026

Don Tracy: Chicago Tribune Op-Ed Confirms Brandon Johnson and Juliana Stratton Are Failing to Keep Our Neighborhoods Safe

CHICAGO — Chicago community organizer Ja’Mal Green’s recent op-ed in the Chicago Tribune, Don’t surrender Chicago to ‘teen takeover’ chaos, confirms what  working families in Chicago have been experiencing for years: a failure of leadership that’s been enabled by the extreme agenda of Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and her political allies, like Brandon Johnson and Kim Foxx.
March 24, 2026

Don Tracy: Attack on Private Schools Shows Pritzker’s & Stratton’s Disdain for Working Families

CHICAGO — The Chicago Tribune has reported a recent exchange between Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Comptroller Susana Mendoza in which Pritzker claimed that the federal education tax credits would fund schools promoting “crazy notions,” including teaching children that “gay people are evil, that ‘the KKK was fighting against the decline of morality,’” and “that white supremacy is God’s will.” Pritzker’s assertion is not only detached from reality, it’s completely insulting to Illinois families. Does his Lieutenant Governor, Juliana Stratton, agree with him?
March 6, 2026

Tracy: Raja and Kelly Join Far-Left in Rejecting Bipartisan Resolution Against Iran's State-Sponsored Terrorism

SPRINGFIELD — On Thursday afternoon, 53 far left House Democrats, including Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, voted against a bipartisan resolution reaffirming that Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism. The resolution, H.Res. 1099, passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 372-53, demonstrating strong cross-party support on this critical national security issue. 
February 27, 2026

Tracy Campaign AM-560 Post-Debate Statement

CHICAGO — Tonight's AM-560 debate underscored a clear reality in this Republican primary: Illinois families deserve a strong, experienced leader ready to take on a Democrat opponent and fight for real change in Washington, and Don Tracy demonstrated why he's the candidate who best provides that.
February 24, 2026

Blue City Policies Are Failing Working Families in Chicago; Raja, Stratton and Kelly Want to Export Them to Washington

CHICAGO — Chicago’s office market is in freefall, serving as a stark symbol of how Democrat-led policies are crippling Illinois' economy and squeezing working families. According to a recent Fox Business report, major downtown office towers are selling at staggering discounts of 70%, 80%, even 90% compared to their prior values. A prominent Loop tower at 311 S. Wacker Drive traded for just $45 million, down 85% from $302 million in 2014, while another at 175 W. Jackson Blvd. sold at an 87% discount from its pre-COVID price. Iconic buildings that once symbolized economic strength are now worth pennies on the dollar.
February 19, 2026

Don Tracy: Raja, Stratton and Kelly Chose Higher Taxes Over Working Families

SPRINGFIELD — While working families across Illinois stretch every paycheck and fight for every dollar, out-of-touch career politicians Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly voted against the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation that eliminated taxes on tips and overtime pay while Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton used her platform to oppose the measure.
February 18, 2026

Don Tracy Calls Out His Democrat Opponents for Rejecting Voter ID

SPRINGFIELD — 84% of Americans support requiring a government-issued photo ID to vote, yet all three Illinois Democrats running for U.S. Senate oppose the common sense measure. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly voted against the SAVE Act in Congress while Juliana Stratton has publicly opposed it.
February 10, 2026

Don Tracy Launches First U.S. Senate Ad, “Your American Dream”

SPRINGFIELD — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy today released his first digital ad of the 2026 election cycle, “Your American Dream.” The introductory ad highlights the real-life struggles Illinois families face under the sky-high cost of living, and Tracy’s commitment to fighting for common sense solutions in Washington.
February 6, 2026

Don Tracy Secures Key Endorsements from Illinois Republican Leaders

SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy today announced endorsements from a respected group of current and former Illinois Republican Party officials. The support from these influential leaders signals strong, unified momentum for Tracy's campaign, which centers on strength, leadership, and common-sense solutions for Illinois families.
February 4, 2026

Don Tracy: Manufacturing Growth Can Help Rebuild the American Dream in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - According to recent analysis from Jason Trennert, CEO of Strategas Research Partners, supply-side tax provisions and incentives in the ‘Working Families Tax Cut Bill’ aimed at restoring domestic manufacturing could drive up to 15 percent earnings growth in 2026, as American industry expands and supply chains come home.
February 3, 2026

Don Tracy Responds to Krishnamoorthi’s and Kelly’s Votes Against Ending Government Shutdown

CHICAGO — The House voted this afternoon to end a partial government shutdown, funding most federal agencies and providing a 10-day extension for the Department of Homeland Security. The funding package included key Democrat demands, including restrictions on ICE and Border Patrol agents during operations, new investigative requirements, and revised use-of-force guidelines.
January 27, 2026

During National School Choice Week, Don Tracy Backs Parents While His Democrat Opponents Choose Extreme Special Interests

SPRINGFIELD —  National School Choice Week 2026 has begun (January 25–31). A new survey from the National School Choice Awareness Foundation shows over 60% of U.S. parents say they are likely to consider finding a new school for at least one of their children in 2026. Here in Illinois, the Chicago Tribune reports, statewide about 136,00 fewer kids are enrolled in Illinois public schools. 
January 23, 2026

Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly Vote With Far-Left Against Government Funding, Public Safety, and National Security

SPRINGFIELD — On Thursday, the US House advanced a bipartisan federal Department of Homeland Security funding bill that averted a looming government shutdown. Illinois Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, however, voted with the far left of their party against funding the federal government, against avoiding a second shutdown, and against funding federal law enforcement, which includes critical national security operations.
January 19, 2026

Don Tracy: Career Politicians Look the Other Way as Federal Fraud Drives Up Costs for Working Families and Businesses

SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy today called for immediate action to end rampant fraud and improper payments in federal programs following new reports showing the federal government is losing hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars every year. These are costs that are ultimately passed on to working families through increased taxes and inflation.
January 19, 2026

Don Tracy: Career Politicians Look the Other Way as Federal Fraud Drives Up Costs for Working Families and Businesses

SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy today called for immediate action to end rampant fraud and improper payments in federal programs following new reports showing the federal government is losing hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars every year. These are costs that are ultimately passed on to working families through increased taxes and inflation.
January 16, 2026

Don Tracy Backs Common-Sense Health Care Reforms to Lower Costs for Working Families

SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy today expressed support for the effort to make health care and prescription drugs more affordable for working families by reducing middlemen-driven price inflation, increasing competition and transparency. This health care model would deliver relief directly to patients and families rather than insurance companies.
January 9, 2026

Pandemic Relief Fraud Exposed in Minnesota and Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Yesterday, the House Committee on Small Business launched new oversight of COVID-era SBA lending programs, requesting information from the Small Business Administration following reports of historic fraud tied to nonprofit networks in Minnesota. The review, including a significant fraud probe in Minnesota over roughly $400 million in loans, underscores how deeply flawed some emergency funding programs have been.
December 10, 2025

Deception and Hypocrisy Reveal the Real Raja Krishnamoorthi

ILLINOIS –  Yesterday’s revelations about the Krishnamoorthi campaign aren't isolated slip-ups. They show a deliberate pattern of deception that speaks to Raja Krishnamoorthi’s character. As the leading Democrat in the Senate race, he has built his brand on friendly ads promising integrity. But under closer scrutiny, Raja is revealing himself to be just another slick career politician, who will say whatever it takes and will take money from anyone to win.
December 4, 2025

Don Tracy Backs Common-Sense Plan to Make New Vehicles Affordable for Illinois Families

SPRINGFIELD –  The White House and auto industry leaders have announced a proposal regarding fuel economy standards that addresses a pressing affordability crisis for working families. The average price of a new vehicle surpassed an estimated $50,000 for the first time in September, according to Cox Automotive Inc. The previous fuel economy standards would have added nearly $1,000 to the cost of new vehicles, placing basic transportation further out of reach for families already struggling with the cost of living.
December 1, 2025

Raja Krishnamoorthi’s HIRE Act Betrays Illinois Workers

SPRINGFIELD – The HIRE Act, re-introduced by Raja Krishnamoorthi, proposes doubling the H-1B visa program, a program that has been abused by international employers and given rise to fraud claims. This comes at a time when Illinois continues to hemorrhage jobs due to failed state policies. Raja claims the only result of his bill will be to attract high-skilled labor to the U.S. However, his HIRE Act represents a fundamental betrayal of working families struggling in a weak economy. And it is yet another example of Raja prioritizing corporate donors and special interests over the Illinois families and workers he is supposed to represent. 
November 25, 2025

Don Tracy: A House Majority Stood Up to Socialism, Raja Hid and Kelly Voted with Dictators

SPRINGFIELD – A US House resolution (H. Con. Res. 58) passed overwhelmingly, denouncing the horrors of socialism in all its forms and opposing its implementation in the United States. This was a bipartisan rebuke of an ideology that has repeatedly devastated nations and lives, with 285 of 435 members voting yes, including nearly half of Democrats. Yet Raja Krishnamoorthi could not bring himself to cast a vote, and Robin Kelly proudly voted to support socialism.
November 21, 2025

Don Tracy: Brutal Violence in Chicago this Week, Common-Sense Public Safety Can No Longer Wait

SPRINGFIELD – The violence in Chicago this week has been even more difficult to stomach than usual: A mother and her 9-year-old son brutally beaten by a group of students just steps from the Orville Bright Elementary School in Chicago, and a young woman set on fire on a CTA train in broad daylight by a repeat violent offender who three separate judges allowed back on the streets.  
November 20, 2025

From Chicago Streets to Empty Senate Chairs: Democrats Turn Their Backs on Victims of Their Policy Disasters

SPRINGFIELD – Yesterday, Danielle Carter-Walters and Zoe Leigh, Chicago residents and founders of Chicago Flips Red, traveled hundreds of miles to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration. They made the trip to speak about the daily violence tearing apart their neighborhoods, the gangs shielded by sanctuary policies, and why Chicago desperately needs federal law enforcement help to restore safety.
November 13, 2025

Don Tracy: I'll Stand With Families Like the Abrahams; Memphis Shows the Way, Illinois Should Follow

SPRINGFIELD – Yesterday, I was honored to have Joe Abraham speak at my fundraiser. Joe is the father of Katie Abraham, a vibrant, promising young woman whose life was tragically and senselessly cut short due to the consequences of Illinois’ sanctuary laws. Joe’s heartbreak is impossible to ignore. He spoke of the void left by losing his daughter, the dreams that will never be realized, and the daily pain no parent should ever have to endure.
November 6, 2025

Senate Democrats Prolong Pain As Illinois Families Struggle

SPRINGFIELD –  Illinois families are bearing the brunt of Washington's gridlock as the longest federal government shutdown in history drags into its 37th day. Nearly 2 million SNAP recipients in the state are seeing a small glimmer of relief, as the Trump administration announced late Wednesday that November food stamp benefits will be cut by 35% instead of the previously planned 50%. While this adjustment allows families to receive up to 65% of their allotments, it still leaves them hundreds of dollars short at the grocery store during a time of record inflation and holiday stress.
November 5, 2025

Day 35 of Democrat Shutdown: Longest in History, Zero New Democrats Vote to Reopen Government

SPRINGFIELD –  Today marks the darkest milestone yet: the longest government shutdown in American history, now on Day 35. The Senate Democrats continued their federal government shutdown via filibuster, as they voted – for the 14th time – against a clean continuing government funding resolution. Only the same 3 Senate Democrats were willing to cross the aisle and put people over politics. Consequently,  the US Senate majority again did not have the 60 votes necessary to end the Democrat shutdown filibuster.
October 29, 2025

Don Tracy: CNN Poll Shows Schumer Shutdown Backfiring on Democrats

SPRINGFIELD –  New CNN polling data shows Republicans’ approval surging 5 points since the shutdown began, with an 8-point jump among independents. For Republicans in Congress, net approval jumped up by 12 points among Republican voters and by 8 points among independents since the shutdown began. The latest polling data exposes Democrats’ “shutdown for leverage” ploy as a massive backfire.
October 28, 2025

Don Tracy Calls Out Yet Another Democrat for Admitting They Are Prolonging the Shutdown for “Political Leverage”

SPRINGFIELD –  In a C-Span interview, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined Raja Krishnamoorthi, Katherine Clark and Bernie Sanders in admitting that withholding SNAP benefits and paychecks from struggling families is an "unpleasant" but worthwhile tactic for his party to gain political "leverage" in shutdown negotiations. On this point, Democrats have been very clear. 
October 28, 2025

Don Tracy Opposes Jeffries’ Mid-Cycle Gerrymander Power Grab

SPRINGFIELD –  Hakeem Jeffries is pushing a Washington power grab to redraw Illinois’ already-gerrymandered map. Currently, the plan involves expanding Chicago districts further to push out Rep. Darin LaHood and silence downstate voters. Democrat US Senate hopefuls have already expressed their support. Raja Krishnamoorthi says Democrats must “neutralize” GOP maps by further rigging the Illinois map. Robin Kelly says Democrats have to redistrict in order to “fight fire with fire.”
October 27, 2025

Shutdown Week 5: Tracy Demands Democrats Stop Using Illinois Families as “Leverage”

SPRINGFIELD –  As the second-longest (and most unnecessary) government shutdown in history enters its fifth week, Illinois families continue to pay the price for DC power games. Senate Democrats see the government shutdown as “leverage” to push $1.5 trillion in additional spending on far-left initiatives, a fact that was affirmed by IL Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi last week on CNN.  
October 25, 2025

Democrats’ Shutdown Puts Illinois Families’ Food and Security at Risk

SPRINGFIELD –  As the federal government shutdown drags into its third week, U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy is calling out Democrats in Washington for voting against the very people they claim to support, with reports out on delayed SNAP benefits and Nuclear Security Administration furloughs. Allowing Chuck Schumer’s filibustered government shutdown to continue is now threatening both working families and national security.
October 23, 2025

Don Tracy Slams Democratic Leaders’ Cruel Shutdown Filibuster Strategy and Opponents’ Misinformation, Vows to Prioritize Illinois Families

SPRINGFIELD –  Yesterday, Minority House Whip Katherine Clark commented on the impact of the prolonged Schumer filibuster  government shutdown saying, “Of course there will be families that are going to suffer...but it is one of the few leverage times we have.” This follows Senator Bernie Sanders’ remark that a prolonged government shutdown gives Democrats “leverage;” and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s statement regarding the shutdown,“It keeps getting better for us.”  
October 22, 2025

Don Tracy: Chicago’s Transit Crime Crisis Demands Federal-Local Cooperation

SPRINGFIELD –  Chicago’s streets and transit systems are in crisis. In May, a 20-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint on a CTA Green Line train near Conservatory-Central Park Drive station, with a hearing scheduled for the suspect today. On Tuesday, a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot in broad daylight on a West Garfield Park sidewalk, with no arrests yet. These tragedies reflect a city in crisis.
October 21, 2025

Don Tracy Denounces House Democrats’ Gerrymandering Scheme Targeting Rep. Darin LaHood

SPRINGFIELD –  With less than two weeks until the candidate filing deadline, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Washington Democrats are pushing a mid-decade redraw of Illinois’ already gerrymandered Congressional map, targeting Rep. Darin LaHood for removal by stretching Chicago districts to dilute Republican voices even further in Illinois and undermine fair representation. Don Tracy responded to the obvious power grab this afternoon: 
October 20, 2025

Don Tracy Issues Statement on Weekend Gun Violence in Chicago

SPRINGFIELD –  U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy today released the following statement in response to yet another tragic wave of gun violence in Chicago over the weekend, which left at least four people dead and 14 others wounded. On Saturday, October 18, a 14-year-old boy was shot and injured downtown. Sunday morning, October 19, a 40-year-old woman was shot and killed while getting off a bus in the Fuller Park neighborhood.
October 17, 2025

Don Tracy For Illinois Q3 Financial Report

SPRINGFIELD – Campaign spokesperson Kathleen Murphy announced today that the Don Tracy campaign for U.S. Senate ended the third quarter of 2025 with $2,052,251.66 cash on hand, underscoring his position as the front-runner in the Republican primary. With more cash on hand than Democrat candidates Juliana Stratton and Robin Kelly, Tracy is a serious contender in the race to represent Illinois in the US Senate.
October 15, 2025

Don Tracy Blasts Democrat Shutdown Obstruction as Illinois Military Families Face Empty Paychecks on Payday

SPRINGFIELD – The partial federal shutdown, now in its third week, has left active-duty troops facing delayed October 15 paychecks due to stalled processing, despite President Trump's directive to redirect $8 billion in unobligated funds to cover them. Military families are scrambling for relief, and assistance requests are surging to "unprecedented" levels, with ripple effects impacting food aid for low-income service members.
October 14, 2025

US Senate Candidate Don Tracy Calls Out Democrats' Shutdown Hypocrisy on Day

SPRINGFIELD – Fourteen days into the Federal Government Shutdown, Democrats like Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly are still holding America hostage, demanding up to $1.5 trillion in additional spending. They do so despite the fact that just a couple months ago they were preaching fiscal restraint during negotiations for the Working Families Tax Cut bill (aka Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill). Now, Republicans have voted for a clean continuing resolution to keep the government open, but Democrats’ political game playing – for political leverage – has shut down the federal government. 
October 9, 2025

Don Tracy Condemns Bounty Placed On U.S. Border Patrol Chief

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy is condemning the shocking revelation that a suspected Latin Kings gang member with cartel ties allegedly placed a bounty on U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, the same official who recently warned that “something is going on in Chicago” after federal agents seized record numbers of weapons moving through the city.
October 8, 2025

Don Tracy: Federal Agents Sound the Alarm, “Something Is Going On in Chicago” as Record Number of Weapons are Seized

SPRINGFIELD –   Federal agents are seizing record numbers of illegal firearms and contraband weapons moving through Chicago—more in a single month than Los Angeles saw in four. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino told Fox News, “We have seen more weapons here in Chicago in one month than we did over four months in Los Angeles. Something is going on in Chicago.”
October 7, 2025

As Senate Democrats Extend Shutdown, Don Tracy Calls for Common-Sense Leadership to Reopen Government

SPRINGFIELD – As the government shutdown enters its second week, Democrats in the U.S. Senate last night continued to block funding legislation to reopen the government. The Republican-backed clean continuing resolution (CR), which would have kept the government open through November 21, received 52 votes – falling short of the 60 required to overcome a filibuster. The Democratic alternative, which includes $1.5 trillion in new spending for just one month of keeping government funding extended, failed by a 45–55 margin.
October 2, 2025

Don Tracy: Democrats Abandon Farmers in the Midst of Harvest

SPRINGFIELD – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offices are shuttered—right in the middle of harvest season. The Democrats’ shutdown is threatening not only farmers at this critical time, but also the broader food supply chain and Illinois’ rural economy.
September 29, 2025

Tracy: Pritzker/Stratton Energy Failures Are Driving Up Costs for Illinois Families

SPRINGFIELD, IL – This weekend, the Chicago Tribune editorial board criticized Gov. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats for their mishandling of the energy crisis: failing to plan for nuclear, battery storage, or grid resilience, while Illinois working families, manufacturers, and small businesses face skyrocketing bills. U.S. Senate Candidate Don Tracy responded to the editorial, saying: 
September 26, 2025

Tracy: Pritzker / Stratton Pro-Criminal Agenda Failing

SPRINGFIELD – Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain just warned that Illinois’ “cashless bail” system is contributing to overcrowded jails and more repeat absences in court. He also criticized lawmakers for enacting the system “with little-to-no consultation with sheriffs across the state who operate their county’s jail.” US Senate candidate Don Tracy released the following statement in response: