Cannabis policy is becoming a more prominent campaign issue for politicians across the country. Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, is leaning into her state’s industry success story in her run for office, telling the crowd at this week’s IgniteIt Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago that pot is a priority.
“I would love to see us legalize cannabis on the federal level,” she said during the show’s keynote fireside chat.
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Stratton, who will face Republican Don Tracy in November for the seat being vacated by Sen. Dick Durbin, pointed to Illinois as a model for national cannabis policy. One of the largest marijuana markets in the country, the Land of Lincoln raked in roughly $1.5 billion in cannabis sales in 2025.
The former state representative touted Illinois’ Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program, which directs 25 percent of cannabis tax revenue into communities disproportionately harmed by drug enforcement. She noted that $330 million has been allocated to violence prevention, reentry services, youth development, and economic development, adding that nearly 800,000 criminal records have been expunged since legalization took effect.
“Let’s tell the story of what happened here in Illinois … and then let’s replicate it at the federal level,” Stratton said.
Equity and banking remain priorities
Stratton insisted that inclusion remained part of the cannabis reform conversation, despite the current political climate in America.
“How do we make sure that we still center equity at a time where there’s an administration that does not want to use that word,” Stratton said, referring to the Trump administration’s opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
“Because they don’t want to use that word…even as we see growth or movement [with cannabis], certain communities [are] being boxed out,” she added.
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The two-term Lt. Gov. also asserted that more needs to be done to ensure that cannabis businesses have access to financial services.
“It’s hard to start and grow a business when we’re seeing those barriers,” Stratton said.
Stratton enters the general election with an advantage in a state that has consistently backed Democratic candidates in recent federal elections. If sent to Washington in November, the cannabis industry will gain yet another ally in the halls of Congress.
