Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Juliana Stratton (left) and Republican nominee Don Tracy at a debate hosted by WTTW Tuesday night. (WTTW)

In a debate for Illinois’ open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, state politics frequently crept into a showdown between Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and former Illinois Republican Party chair Don Tracy, who sparred over whether the fault for many of state’s issues lies with Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration or President Donald Trump.

Stratton and Tracy covered a wide range of key issues in their lone general election debate In WTTW’s Chicago studio, from affordability to immigration to healthcare. But while questions centered around how they would shape federal policy, both candidates leaned into Stratton’s background as lieutenant governor and in the state house.