Lead
Juliana Stratton, Illinois’s lieutenant governor, launched a new television ad this week that stitches together a series of voices saying a bleeped expletive directed at former President Donald Trump, followed by the tag “vote Juliana.” The spot begins airing with detectable bleeps on broadcast TV as early voting is already underway ahead of the March 17 primary. Stratton, who does not herself utter the profanity on camera, is trailing Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in polls, fundraising and airtime, making the ad a high-profile attempt to change momentum. The commercial includes a cameo by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and is the first ad funded directly by Stratton’s campaign.
Key Takeaways
- Juliana Stratton released a TV ad featuring multiple people saying a bleeped “F— Trump,” with Stratton appearing but not swearing on screen.
- The ad began airing in early March while early voting is underway for the March 17, 2026, Illinois Democratic primary.
- Stratton trails Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in early metrics; Krishnamoorthi spent approximately $23.5 million on ads through mid-February, per AdImpact.
- Through mid-February AdImpact tallies show Krishnamoorthi spent $23.5 million, Rep. Robin Kelly $212,000, and Stratton $69,000 on television ads.
- Major outside funding has supported Stratton previously: Gov. J.B. Pritzker gave $5 million to a pro-Stratton super PAC, and Jennifer Pritzker and spouse gave $1.1 million.
- Early bookings for TV through March 2 reportedly include $1.9 million from the Illinois Future PAC (pro-Stratton), $955,000 for Krishnamoorthi, $355,000 for Kelly, and $211,000 from Stratton’s campaign.
- The Republican National Committee criticized the ad and repeated partisan claims that Stratton supports defunding police and is soft on crime.
Background
The Illinois Senate contest is to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin and has attracted multiple Democratic contenders, including Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Rep. Robin Kelly, alongside Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. Durbin’s departure created an open-seat race that has drawn heavy spending from both campaigns and outside groups. In that context, candidates have used TV ads to define themselves and to nationalize the race around former President Donald Trump.
Disagreements inside the Democratic coalition over messaging toward Trump have been visible nationally: some strategists urge more direct, blunt attacks to energize the base while others caution about overemphasizing a single figure at the expense of local issues. In Illinois, several campaigns have adopted anti-Trump framing—Krishnamoorthi has focused on accountability and immigration enforcement, while Kelly’s spots reference actions she would take tied to Trump-era officials.
Main Event
The Stratton spot strings together dozens of short on-camera lines in which people complete the phrase “F— Trump” followed by “vote Juliana.” The campaign said at least six bleeps will be audible on broadcast runs to obscure the profanity. Stratton appears on screen and distances herself from saying the word directly, stating on camera that others spoke the line. Gov. J.B. Pritzker appears briefly at the end of the commercial but does not join the expletive.
The timing is notable: the ad rolled out as primary voting has already started and less than a month remains until March 17. Stratton’s campaign characterized the spot as a candid expression of frustration with Trump-era policies and a declaration of the candidate’s intent to hold officials accountable; the ad also reiterates policy positions such as abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Opponents seized on the creative choice. The Republican National Committee issued a statement repeating accusations that Stratton favors defunding the police and is soft on crime, linking the ad’s tone to public safety concerns. Campaign trackers and ad-spending tallies show Stratton’s overall paid airtime and spending lagging far behind Krishnamoorthi’s, which shapes how each message may register with voters.
Analysis & Implications
The ad is a high-variance move. For a trailing candidate, attention can translate into polling gains if the message activates persuadable voters or increases name recognition; for an established frontrunner, an aggressive attack can be unnecessary or even risky. Stratton’s team appears to have judged that a provocative creative will cut through crowded messaging and differentiate her from rivals who also invoke Trump in their ads.
Fundraising and earned media remain central variables. Krishnamoorthi’s outsized ad spend—$23.5 million through mid-February—gives him broad reach and message control. Stratton’s comparatively small direct ad buy ($69,000 through the same period) means her campaign must rely on either earned attention or coordinated outside spending; Pritzker’s prior $5 million to a supporting super PAC has helped fill that gap but does not fully substitute for sustained campaign ad buys.
There is also a demographic and geographic calculation. Illinois Democrats must weigh urban concerns—public safety in Chicago, for example—against national themes like immigration and accountability for Trump-era actions. An ad that uses profanity, even bleeped, can energize a segment of voters who appreciate bluntness while alienating more moderate or older voters who find the tactic off-putting.
Comparison & Data
| Actor | TV spending through mid-February |
|---|---|
| Raja Krishnamoorthi | $23,500,000 |
| Robin Kelly | $212,000 |
| Juliana Stratton | $69,000 |
| Illinois Future PAC (early bookings to Mar 2) | $1,900,000 |
| Krishnamoorthi (early bookings to Mar 2) | $955,000 |
| Kelly (early bookings to Mar 2) | $355,000 |
| Stratton campaign (early bookings to Mar 2) | $211,000 |
These figures, drawn from the ad-tracking firm AdImpact as referenced in reporting, show Krishnamoorthi’s dominant paid-media advantage entering the final weeks before the March 17 primary. Stratton’s direct buys are small by comparison, though outside PAC bookings boost her exposure temporarily. In short, media weight favors the frontrunner; creative stunts can influence attention but typically cannot substitute for sustained spending.
Reactions & Quotes
“Juliana Stratton is a defund-the-police radical who would rather let criminals run rampant than make Chicago safer.”
Delanie Bomar, RNC spokeswoman (Republican National Committee)
The RNC’s statement framed the ad as confirmation of partisan attacks on Stratton’s public-safety stance. The phrasing reflects partisan messaging rather than an objective policy analysis, and the Stratton campaign disputed the characterization.
“They said it, not me,”
Juliana Stratton (Lieutenant Governor of Illinois)
Stratton appears on camera to deflect ownership of the profanity while endorsing the ad’s broader message of opposing Trump-era policies. The line is intended to provide distance between the candidate and the explicit language while preserving the spot’s provocative effect.
Unconfirmed
- It is not yet confirmed whether the bleeped ad will measurably shift voter preferences in the March 17 primary; polling to date does not show a clear immediate movement tied to the commercial.
- Claims that the ad strategy reflects a wider, organized push by Democratic strategists to use profanity on the trail are reported contextually but lack direct documentation of a coordinated national plan.
- Assertions that the ad will harm Stratton among suburban or older voters are plausible but remain speculative until post-airing survey data are available.
Bottom Line
Stratton’s bleeped “F— Trump” ad is a high-profile creative gambit aimed at cutting through a noisy primary field while signaling an uncompromising stance toward Trump-era policies. The commercial trades conventional decorum for attention—an approach that can produce earned media and energize some voters but carries the risk of alienating others.
Given Krishnamoorthi’s large media advantage ($23.5 million in ad spending through mid-February), the ad alone is unlikely to overturn structural spending and exposure gaps. The real test will be whether the spot translates into increased donations, volunteers or, crucially, votes during early and Election Day voting before March 17.