Illinois' Democratic Senate primary gets messy

Plus, Border Patrol official Greg Bovino to retire |

VIEW IN BROWSER MS NOW DAILY Understand today's news Tuesday, Mar. 17, 2026   THE LATEST A major Senate primary consumed by old feuds and new money By Nnamdi Egwuonwu A major Senate primary consumed by old feuds and new money By Nnamdi Egwuonwu The Democratic primary to replace Sen. Richard Durbin was always going to be competitive. No one expected it to get this messy.   A once-in-a-generation opportunity to fill Durbin's seat has reignited old feuds, pitted the Congressional Black Caucus against a 2028 hopeful, drawn millions in crypto-backed attack ads and led to scrutiny of campaign finances so detailed that many political observers have effectively become accountants.   The increasingly caustic three-way fight between Illinois Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton underscores the stakes of the party contest — the victor on Tuesday will almost certainly become the state's next senator. A Republican has not won a statewide contest in Illinois since 2014.   But it also highlights ongoing debates within the Democratic Party over who should represent the party, the role the establishment should play in identifying that candidate and how comfortable that candidate should be accepting money from crypto super PACs or tech executives with immigration enforcement contracts.   This is a preview of Nnamdi Egwuonwu's latest article. Read the full article here. TOP STORIES HAYES BROWN Trump's ego is hurting the GOP's midterm chances The biggest anchors weighing down Republican efforts to keep control of Congress are coming from Trump's biggest vanity projects. Read more. JULIANNE MCSHANE Border Patrol official Greg Bovino to retire, reports say The 55-year-old Border Patrol official will reportedly retire this month, capping off about a year of highly visible enforcement of Trump's deportation agenda. Read more. BRIAN FINUCANE Hegseth publicly implied the U.S. might commit future war crimes. We can't ignore that. The secretary of defense is a military leader in the chain of command. Whether Hegseth appreciates it or not, his words alone have legal significance. Read more. JORDAN RUBIN Supreme Court takes up issue of temporary immigration protections in Haiti, Syria cases The Trump administration urged the justices to review the immigration issue it has been losing in the lower courts. Read more. TOP VIDEOS CHRIS JANSING REPORTS Trump threatens NATO allies to help keep Strait of Hormuz open WATCH NOW RACHEL MADDOW Trump frantic over Iran mess as rival nations take advantage of his poor planning WATCH NOW THE WEEKNIGHT 'Disturbing, disgusting, illegal': New Mexico Democrat describes horrors at Epstein's Zorro Ranch WATCH NOW DEADLINE: WHITE HOUSE 'A big flop': DOJ struggling to enact revenge and retribution on Trump's enemies WATCH NOW MORE FROM MS NOW This week on "The Best People," Nicolle Wallace is joined by Retired Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling. They discuss his new book "If I Don't Return," what drives the less than one percent of our citizens to become service members, and how the current leadership in the White House does not seem to understand the mission. Listen now, and subscribe to MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts for early access, ad-free listening, and bonus content. By subscribing to MS NOW's We the People Newsletter, you can expect exclusive insights and perspectives from your favorite MS NOW anchors, access to even more content than what you see on-air, more ways to engage with MS NOW and a vibrant community where your voice matters. Sign up now at ms.now/wethepeople. 229 West 43rd St. New York, NY 10036 PRIVACY | CONTACT | UNSUBSCRIBE