On Thursday, January 29, ABC7 Chicago hosted an engaging Democratic U.S. Senate Primary Forum for the 2026 election, offering viewers an uninterrupted, commercial-free hour of political discourse. The event, which began at 7 p.m., was a significant opportunity for voters to hear directly from the candidates vying for the Senate seat in Illinois.

The forum was adeptly moderated by ABC7 anchor Judy Hsu, who was joined by political reporter Craig Wall and Enrique Rodriguez, an anchor and reporter from WGBO/Univision Chicago. This trio guided the conversation, posing questions that delved into the pressing issues facing the candidates and their prospective constituents.

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Three Democratic hopefuls took the stage: U.S. Representative Robin Kelly, U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. Each brought forth their vision and strategies, hoping to sway voters with their policies and plans for the future of Illinois and the nation.

The selection criteria for the forum were meticulously set. Candidates needed to meet several benchmarks: being legally eligible to hold the Senate office, maintaining an active campaign website, ranking among the top three in fundraising by December 31, 2025, and demonstrating significant presence in independent polling.

The forum was accessible to a wide audience, streaming live on multiple platforms, including ABC7Chicago.com, the ABC7 Chicago news app, its Facebook page, and via ABC7’s 24/7 streaming channels. This accessibility ensured that anyone interested in the democratic process and the future of Illinois could participate from wherever they were.

It will be broadcast on ABC7 directly following the station’s late newscast on Friday, Jan. 30 at 10:30 p.m.

The forum will also be translated and streamed live on Univision’s digital platforms, and it will air on Univision’s main channel on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 4:00 p.m.

ABC7 will hold a 2026 Republican U.S. Senate Primary Forum that will stream live on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. It will air in full on ABC7 on Friday, Feb. 13 at 10:35 p.m.