Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi is jumping into the race to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, adding yet another well-funded candidate into a crowded field for the Democratic primary.
“I am deeply humbled by the encouragement I’ve received from friends, family members, and community leaders encouraging me, a fellow son of downstate, to run for the U.S. Senate,” said Krishnamoorthi in a statement, praising Durbin’s record as a “titan” of public service.
Krishnamoorthi, first elected to the House in 2016, is the third candidate to throw his hat in the ring for Durbin’s seat. But he’s been rumored to be seeking the spot for years — and his $19 million war chest is a big reason why.
His fellow Illinois Democrat, Rep. Robin Kelly, announced her own bid on Tuesday. And Rep. Lauren Underwood is still deciding whether to run. “Congresswoman Underwood is always thinking about the best way to serve her constituents, and as she’s heard from folks across the state who are hungry for the next generation of effective leadership in the United States Senate, she’s carefully considering her next steps,” said a campaign spokesperson in a statement.
Juliana Stratton, the state’s lieutenant governor, launched her campaign on April 24, a day after Durbin said he wouldn’t run. Stratton already has endorsements from Sen. Tammy Duckworth and billionaire Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
A poll released by the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association on Monday suggested that there’s no clear frontrunner. Forty-two percent of voters surveyed were undecided in a four-way race, and once given more information about the candidates, Stratton was leading, though 31% of those polled were still undecided.
Meanwhile, the primary is already growing contentious. NBC reported last week that Pritzker’s team was attempting to discourage Underwood from entering the race, per unnamed sources, which the governor denied.
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Helen Huiskes is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.