Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi announces Senate run
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi announced his Senate run on Wednesday morning, entering the race for Sen. Dick Durbin's seat after he decided not to run for re-election in 2026.
Krishnamoorthi released a campaign video highlighting his plans to fight against President Trump's policies. He also focuses on protecting Social Security for seniors, assisting veterans and defending public education.
He released the following statement:
"Senator Dick Durbin is a titan who will go down as one of the most effective and dedicated public servants in Illinois history. 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. Senate."
Krishnamoorthi served as policy director for Barack Obama's 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate. Krishnamoorthi was first elected to Congress in 2016.
Most recently in 2024, Krishnamoorthi won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Illinois.
Two other candidates also have entered the race: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Congresswoman Robin Kelly.
Krishnamoorthi holds a huge fundraising lead, with more than $18 million on hand in his campaign fund. Kelly has more than $2 million in her campaign fund. Stratton has less than $100,000 in her campaign fund, but can't use it for a Senate race since the money was raised for her campaigns for the Illinois House and lieutenant governor, not a federal race. However, she could potentially get significant financial backing from Gov. JB Pritzker, who has endorsed her for Senate.
Congresswoman Lauren Underwood is also exploring a run for Senate.
