Krishnamoorthi enters 2026 senate race, brings $19M war chest and national security credentials

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has officially launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate, entering the Democratic primary to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. With nearly $20 million in campaign funds and a growing national profile, the Schaumburg Democrat becomes the third major candidate in what is shaping up to be one of Illinois’ most closely watched contests.

By Elizabeth Hess May 7, 2025 9:15 am

Metro ServicesKrishnamoorthi enters a growing field that includes Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson.

CHICAGO, IL (Chambana Today) – U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has officially launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate, entering the Democratic primary to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. With nearly $20 million in campaign funds and a growing national profile, the Schaumburg Democrat becomes the third major candidate in what is shaping up to be one of Illinois’ most closely watched contests.

Krishnamoorthi, who has represented the 8th Congressional District since 2017, made his announcement through a video highlighting his middle-class immigrant roots, his tenure in Congress, and his belief that “the power to fight back” against political extremism lies in everyday people. His messaging directly challenged figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump, framing his campaign as a stand against billionaires and authoritarianism.

“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,” Krishnamoorthi said in the video.

Krishnamoorthi enters a growing field that includes Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson. Stratton has garnered high-profile endorsements from U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Gov. JB Pritzker, while Kelly is leaning on her legislative record and name recognition in the south suburbs. U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood is also considering a bid.

Despite those endorsements, Krishnamoorthi begins with a significant advantage in campaign funds. Federal records show he has $19.4 million on hand and raised $3 million in the first quarter of 2024—far more than any of his current competitors.

His campaign strategy appears aimed at building a broad coalition. Krishnamoorthi has visited Republican-leaning parts of the state, tying local concerns to national issues like healthcare access and foreign policy. As the ranking member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with the Chinese Communist Party and a member of the Intelligence Committee, he brings a foreign policy focus uncommon in most statewide races.

Krishnamoorthi’s campaign slogan—“Just call me Raja”—draws on a long-standing approach to make his candidacy more personal and relatable. “I worked on a friend’s campaign that showed Illinois will give you a shot, even if you have a funny name,” he said, referring to his early work with Barack Obama.