WASHINGTON — Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi is launching a campaign for the Senate in Illinois, jumping into a growing Democratic primary field for a coveted seat in the solidly blue state.
He joins Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Democratic Rep. Robin Kelly in the race for a seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, 80, who is retiring after more than four decades in Congress. Other Democrats are also weighing running.
Krishnamoorthi, 51, who was first elected to the House in 2016, represents a Democratic-leaning district near Chicago. He said he’ll hit the campaign trail Friday to make stops in Peoria, Chicago and Schaumburg.
His launch video includes fierce criticisms of President Donald Trump, calling him a “convicted felon” who has tapped “billionaires like Elon Musk” to exploit Americans to boost their own “egos and personal profit.” He makes light of his “funny name,” comparing it to that of former President Barack Obama, whom he once worked for, and encourages voters to simply call him “Raja.”
Asked in an interview what sets him apart from his rivals, Krishnamoorthi touted a “career of standing up to bullies” like the e-cigarette industry and pharmaceutical companies.
“If I had any doubts about running for the Senate, I think they were erased after what we’ve seen in the first 100 days of the Trump administration,” he said. “A lot of people feel like the American dream is out of reach right now, and it’s made even more impossible because of the economic chaos that Donald Trump and DOGE and Elon Musk have unleashed. And I and my family have enjoyed the American dream. … And I feel it’s my mission to make sure that it’s available to others, accessible to others.”
He also cited his “leading role in the first impeachment of Donald Trump” as a member of the House Intelligence Committee at the time.
Krishnamoorthi is the top Democrat on the House select committee on U.S.-China competition, formed in early 2023. While he has climbed the ranks of various committees, he is putting that on the line, as he’ll have to give up his House seat to be on the ballot for the Senate.
His ambitions for higher office were foreshadowed last month by his prolific fundraising. He raised $3 million in the first quarter of the year and had $19 million cash on hand. That will come in handy in what’s likely to be an expensive primary.
Krishnamoorthi, who worked on Obama’s early campaigns for Congress in Illinois, said he hasn’t spoken to him about his Senate plans.
“The most important endorsement is the people of Illinois,” he said. “And I’m going to go everywhere and try to ask for everyone’s endorsement.”
The winner of the Democratic primary will be the heavy favorite in the general election.
If he is elected, the first vote Krishnamoorthi would likely have to cast would be for Senate Democratic leader. Asked whether he would support re-electing Chuck Schumer, of New York, Krishnamoorthi said: “I don’t have that vote right now. If I were privileged to be there, I would want to absolutely hear him out on the issues that I just talked about,” referring to ensuring that government makes the American dream accessible.
Trump’s re-election last year has sparked a reckoning among Democrats that is set to play out across primaries in Illinois and elsewhere, with their voters wanting a more aggressive posture from party leaders.
“And also, we cannot defend the status quo,” Krishnamoorthi said. “We have to agitate for change.”
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