Stratton, Tracy Double Down in Only Televised Debate
Republican Don Tracy and Democrat Juliana Stratton before Tuesday’s U.S. Senate forum on WTTW-TV. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
In only the second time they’ve ever met in person, Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and former Illinois Republican Party chairman Don Tracy squared off in an hourlong televised forum Tuesday night two weeks before voters choose one of them to represent Illinois in the United States Senate.
The forum, hosted by Chicago public television station WTTW, Stratton held firm to her message of standing up to President Donald Trump while Tracy mostly held to the party line and supported most of Trump’s policies.
“An illegal war, illegal tariffs, that’s what’s caused so much disruption to our economy, that’s why everything is so expensive right now,” Stratton said. “We need leaders in Washington who are going to stand up to this president.”
Citing cost of living concerns, Tracy said the “jury is still out” on Trump’s tariff policies that many economists agree have passed on the increased cost of goods made in other countries to U.S. consumers.
“I like the fact that the president recognizes that we’ve been subsidizing the world, and we’ve been taken advantage of by the world with unfair trade practices out there, and so he’s trying to use, I think, tariffs as a tool, not an objective, but as a tool to reset world trade policy and make it a more level playing field,” he said.
For what has been, at times, a sleepy campaign, Stratton and Tracy turned up the temperature at times in the forum.
Tracy acknowledged he would “accept” an endorsement from Trump, which drew swift criticism from Stratton.
“When I talk about Donald Trump, that’s someone whose endorsement you’re looking for,” Stratton said to Tracy.
“If the president of the United States would want to endorse me as a candidate, I would accept that,” Tracy said.
Stratton continued to voice her support for a Medicare for All style health care program, which Tracy called “socialism.”
Stratton called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Tracy called Operation Midway Blitz, last summer’s intense ICE activities in the city of Chicago and suburbs “ugly and chaotic,” but generally supported Trump’s immigration actions.
Stratton reiterated support for a $25 dollar an hour federal minimum wage, which Tracy called a “death sentence” for small business.
“What will that do to the cost of living? What will that do to the cost of a cheeseburger, a Big Mac,” Tracy said. “Every solution [Democrats] have is spending more money and raising the cost of living.”
Stratton blamed Trump and “corporate greed” for high cost of living issues.
“[People] don’t feel like their lives are changing based on anything that’s happening in Washington,” Stratton said. “Their lives aren’t getting better, so we have to get in there and win. But then we have to deliver for people. We have to deliver on our promises and let people know that we are fighting for them and not corporate special interests.”
“I did not hear any mention from her about what she would do for the people of Illinois,” Tracy said in a post-forum media availability. “She’s a big government, tax and spend Democrat and socialist. I think I made that point fairly clear. I did not hear her disagree with any aspect of that.”
Stratton did not speak to media after the event.
When asked after the debate if there was an issue he disagreed with Trump on, Tracy replied “I’m sure there has been,” without naming a specific issue.
