Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi throws hat in race for U.S. Senate seat

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi throws hat in race for Senate seat

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi announced on Wednesday he will be running to succeed Dick Durbin in the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi on Wednesday formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, launching a campaign to succeed longtime Sen. Dick Durbin, who is not seeking reelection.

Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat who has represented Illinois’ 8th Congressional District since 2017, released a video Tuesday morning highlighting his family’s immigrant story, his upbringing in downstate Peoria, and his legislative priorities, including protecting Social Security, defending public education, and expanding job training programs.

What they're saying:

"Senator Dick Durbin is a titan who will go down as one of the most effective and dedicated public servants in Illinois history," Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. "I am deeply humbled by the encouragement I’ve received from friends, family members, and community leaders urging me, a fellow son of downstate, to run for the U.S. Senate."

Krishnamoorthi’s announcement sets the stage for what could be a competitive Democratic primary in a state that has reliably backed Democrats in federal elections. Durbin, the Senate’s second-highest-ranking Democrat and the state’s senior senator, announced in March he would not seek a sixth term in 2026.

In his announcement video, Krishnamoorthi positioned himself as a fighter willing to stand up to "bullies like Donald Trump" saying, "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."

Before running for Congress, Krishnamoorthi worked as policy director for Barack Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate campaign and held various state government positions focused on economic development and ethics reform. He also led a number of high-tech businesses in the Chicago area.

He plans to kick off his campaign Friday with stops in Peoria, Chicago and Schaumburg.

The other side:

Other candidates who have announced their campaigns are U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.