<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/us-politics" rel="" target="" title="US politician"><span>US politician</span></a><span> has won an </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/us-election" rel="" target="" title="upset election victory"><span>upset election victory</span></a><span> on the back of a simple but very effective message: </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title='"F— Trump"'><span>"F— Trump"</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Juliana Stratton has defied a year of polls showing her trailing a big-spending rival to claim a win in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/chicago" rel="" target="" title="Illinois Senate congressional primary"><span>Illinois Senate congressional primary</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Stratton, the Illinois lieutenant governor, was outspent 30 to one by </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-ukraine-impeachment-whistleblower-source-like-a-spy-says-president-us-news/9a929981-4be7-4210-bc8a-168f657bbf76" rel="" target="" title="Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi"><span>Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi</span></a><span> for the coveted prize.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/jd-vance-iran-petrol-prices-worse-overseas-gas-usa-politics-news/9bf2bac5-eb01-4f07-beeb-cbb79d7c1e94" rel="" target="" title="'Overseas' doing worse with petrol prices than USA: JD Vance"><strong><span>'Overseas' doing worse with petrol prices than USA: JD Vance</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But her ad, which only started airing in the past few months, made an immense splash in the race.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 30-second ad features various people with varying intensities of a Chicago accent simply saying to the camera: "F— Trump. Vote Juliana."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While broadcast television strictly regulates against profanity, it is prohibited from censoring politicians' ads.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/juliana-stratton-f-trump-ad-illinois-senate-primary-win-us-election/cea403be-d4a1-41d5-ab80-d8cf55e58f08" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>So viewers in Illinois heard all of that four-letter word.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the ad, Stratton described </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="President Donald Trump"><span>President Donald Trump</span></a><span> as a "wannabe dictator" and vowed to abolish ICE (Immigrant and Customs Enforcement).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'll hold Trump accountable for the crimes he's committed," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the weeks after the ad aired, Stratton went from trailing distantly in the polls to overtaking Krishnamoorthi.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-usa-war-updates-donald-trump-allies-strait-of-hormuz-world-news/c9355a10-7f90-4327-b568-2fb9f8e0f0ec"><strong><span>Trump berates allies as he finds himself alone on Iran war</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And yesterday she clinched an upset victory by a larger-than-expected margin.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Krishnamoorthi had led in the polls in large part because he had ads on TV promoting himself for much longer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he was dogged by criticism of his support of the cryptocurrency industry.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The cryptocurrency industry, in turn, was supporting him to the tune of millions of dollars in backing. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the heavily Democratic state in what is likely to be a good year for the party, clinching the nomination is tantamount to claiming the job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Stratton is on track to become the fifth Black woman elected to the US Senate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While Trump has been unusually successful as a Republican in midwest states, he has consistently been deeply unpopular in Illinois.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The seat is open because of the retirement of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-government-shutdown-moderate-democrats-take-first-step-toward-ending-stalemate/f2771ae8-f257-4a4a-b15c-83a3331e7011" rel="" target="" title="Dick Durbin"><span>Dick Durbin</span></a><span>, a longtime Democratic powerbroker in the Senate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Stratton will face general election voters in November's midterm elections.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-neal-dunn-terminal-diagnosis-dead-by-june-mike-johnson-usa-politics-news/b598dc61-43f2-4a3a-aaa4-d522b0154a3e" target="" title=""><strong><span>'Dead by June': Trump announces congressman's private diagnosis</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a 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