Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi launches Senate bid

Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois declared his candidacy for a Senate seat on Wednesday. The 51-year-old Krishnamoorthi criticized President Donald Trump and Elon Musk for their actions in reducing government jobs and programs. In his campaign video, he denounced Trump as a President who disregards the Constitution and surrounds himself with wealthy backers and extremists, jeopardizing rights and the economy. Krishnamoorthi pledged to protect women’s health decisions, control gun access, safeguard essential programs like Medicaid, and tackle economic disruptions caused by Trump, DOGE, and Musk. He emphasized his history of confronting bullies and highlighted the importance of preserving the American dream for all. Krishnamoorthi is part of a pool of candidates vying to succeed retiring Senator Dick Durbin in Illinois, along with fellow Democrats Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Representative Robin Kelly. No Republican contenders have emerged for the seat yet. Krishnamoorthi, currently serving as a ranking member on key committees, aims to continue Durbin’s legacy of representing the entire state with his diverse background and experience.