Rep. King Krishnamoorthi from Illinois has announced his efforts to nominate themselves for the Senate in 2026, confirming speculation that he will join the rapidly developing field of competitors who want to win a safe democratic chair that is left open by the Senator Dick Durbin, D-IL, who retired at the end of his term of office.
In an interview with ABC News, a member of the five -time Congress said he was recording “disturbing” such as Donald Trump and was very focused on opposing efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency and Elon Musk to cut institutions, programs and federal work.
Rep. King Krishnamoorthi walked down the stairs after the last voice in Capitol, March 27, 2025.
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Via Getty Images
“I have a standing track record for Donald Trump at the congress. I chose to imitate it twice, but I also … played a big role in the first package hearing in Capitol Hill,” said Krishnamoorthi, who entered the DPR in 2016, now serving as a top Democrat in the Chinese Chosen Committee in the Chinese Communist Party and is a senior member of Kec Kecine and lecture.
“But I have a track record of standing on many nuisance, whether it is an electronic cigarette company that preys on our youth and tries to connect them to vapes or pharmaceutical purdue that tries to associate the generation to Oxycontin. I have gone after all of them. They put the target on my back, but I get results, and now we need results with Donald, El Trump.
Krishnamoorthi added that he ran for fighting for the prosperity of Illinoisan’s economic “suffering under the economic chaos released by Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Doge.”
“We need to focus like a laser on their current economic problems, even at the same time we stand at Donald Trump,” he told ABC News.
The offer of Krishnamoorthi will begin with three campaign stops on Friday because he vowed to ‘stand and fight’ against Trump’s agenda. Congress members, who represent most of the northwest suburbs of Chicago, will stop at his hometown in Peoria, Illinois, and at Schaumburg, Illinois, where he lives now.
Chairman of the Dick Dilbin Senate Committee, D-IL., Seen in Capitol in Washington, November 14, 2024.
J. Scott Applethite / AP
“My roots are in Peoria. I represent the suburbs. I have worked in the city for many years. So I want to try to track the journey I have in Illinois but also talking to as many people in Illinois,” he told ABC News.
In a video of the announcement released on Wednesday, Krishnamoorthi mentioned the actions that occurred in the White House “madness” and suggested that he was a Democrat who could “fight” against Trump’s government. The Democratic Party wrestled with a question about its political direction after a surprising loss from the three branches of government during the 2024 election.
“People want to know, right now, right now, where is the power to fight? What is the shape like?” Krishnamoorthi said in the video. “Well, I will tell you: it seems you and you and you, we are all ready to stand up and fight. I spend my life standing on a bunch, fighting for people everyday.
The lawyer with an educated Harvard University who received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University was born in Central Illinois from Indian immigrants.
Ahead of his election to the Congress, Krishnamoorthi served in a number of state roles and as director of policy in the Obama government. In the video announcement released on Wednesday, the congress member called himself “king” and referred to the fact that former President Barack Obama, also, had a name that sounded ambiguous ethnicity, saying, “I work on the campaign of a friend who shows that Illinois will give you an opportunity even if you have a funny name. And inspired by the example of Barack, I was chosen to the congress.
“Yes, I know his name is long, so as usual, just call me the king,” he concluded the video.
Krishnamoorthi, one of the leading runners in the race that had been contested with heat, had collected more than the $ 19 million war before its launch, with an amazing $ 3 million collected in only the first three months of 2025.
His offer came after Durbin announced in April that he would not look for the sixth term of office. Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton jumped in a race less than 48 hours after the announcement of Durbin and quickly received support from the Governor of the Billionaire JB Pritzker and other senators, Tammy Duckworth.
“In the end, the most important thing is that I get support from Illinois people,” Krishnamoorthi told ABC News when asked about his posture among the main fields that were already crowded.
“They need to say it. … We need to ensure that the process takes place, it is revealed, that they can kick tires and judge who they want to employ to represent them in the US Senate, and I will do all my power to get their support,” he added.
The announcement of Krishnamoorthi also came only a day after his colleague, Rep. Robin Kelly, D-IL., Declared his own efforts for the chair. In a video of the announcement posted on Tuesday, Kelly put forward how in the congress, she did not stand up during the time -when silent to mark mass shooting because, he said, “When I was silent in the congress would not cut it again.”
Member of the Congress Robin Kelly (D-Il) questioned witnesses during the Democratic Steering Committee and the Democratic Policy at Medicaid in Washington, DC on March 6, 2025.
Nathan Posner/Anadolu Via Getty Images
Kelly is also a former Chairman of the Democratic Party Illinois and a member of the Minority Leadership Team House Hakeem Jeffries. Reported that Rep. Lauren Underwood, who is also a member of Jeffries’s leadership circle, still explores running for chairs.
Krishnamoorthi told ABC News that his record was paired with his ability to “stand” with Trump clearly, making it uniquely positioned for that role.
“I think your track record is important. I think the diversity of your experiences, plus … from where you come from, I think it’s important,” he said. “I think the most important thing is, who will be the most effective in standing at Donald Trump but also provides constituents?”
Durbin said he did not plan to support certain candidates but did not rule out the possibility of “extreme cases.”
“I hope I don’t need to do it,” said Durbin.
However, Krishnamoorthi associated himself with Durbin when he launched his offer for the Senate on Wednesday, praising him as “Titan” who was “fellow downstate sons.”
“Senator Dick Durbin is Titan who will go down as one of the most effective and dedicated civil servants in the history of Illinois. I am very humble with the encouragement that I received from friends, family members, and community leaders who encourage me, fellow downtate sons, to run for the US Senate,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement that announced his candidates.