A third candidate has thrown their hat in the ring for Illinois’ U.S. Senate race, as Schaumburg Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has confirmed he will run.
Krishnamoorthi, who was first elected to Congress in 2016, will kick off his Senate campaign with a trio of stops on Friday, vowing to “stand up and fight back” against the Trump administration as he visits Peoria, Chicago and Schaumburg.
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WATCH HERE“I’ve made it my mission to fight for families like the ones I grew up with,” he said in his campaign launch video. “People who just want a chance to work hard and realize their dreams. So I’ll never be quiet while billionaires like Elon Musk and a convicted felon deny the dreams of the next generation for their own egos and personal profit.”
The Congressman, who represents Illinois’ 8th district, is the third candidate in the Democratic primary field as he seeks to replace Sen. Dick Durbin, who announced he will not seek reelection in 2026.
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton was the first to enter the race, earning endorsements from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Rep. Robin Kelly, who represents the state’s 2nd district in Congress, announced her candidacy on Tuesday.
Krishnamoorthi paid tribute to Durbin in his campaign announcement Wednesday, saying that he has been “encouraged” by loved ones to run for the office.
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“Sen. Dick Durbin is a titan who will go down as one of the most effective and dedicated public servants in Illinois history,” he said. “I am deeply humbled by the encouragement I have received from friends, family members and community leaders encouraging me, a fellow son of downstate, to run for the U.S. Seante.”
NBC Chicago Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern reports that Krishnamoorthi is well-positioned financially to take on Stratton, who will likely receive serious financial support from Pritzker. Ahern reports Krishnamoorthi has a war chest of $19 million to embark on his Senate bid.
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SIGN UP According to his campaign biography, Krishnamoorthi’s parents moved to the U.S. from India when he was just three months old. His father lost his job and was helped by public aid programs until he got a new job as a teacher in the Peoria area.
Krishnamoorthi served as policy director for Barack Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate campaign, and served in different levels of state government before winning election to Congress in 2016.
Several other prominent Democrats may be mulling Senate runs for 2026, with the highest-profile being Rep. Lauren Underwood.
On the Republican side, Rep. Darin LaHood has been mentioned as a potential candidate to seek out the chance to be the first GOP senator from the state since Mark Kirk was defeated in his reelection bid in 2016.
