Raja Krishnamoorthi declared victory in the March 15 primary contest to replace Rep. Tammy Duckworth in Congress for the 8th District of Illinois that includes the northwest Chicago suburbs.
“I will fight in Congress to save the middle-class in our country because it’s our middle-class that makes America strong,” Krishnamoorthi said at his victory speech on the night of March 15.
With 100 percent of the precincts in the 8th District reporting election returns, Krishnamoorthi won the support of 57 percent of voters against incumbent State Sen. Mike Noland who received 29 percent and Villa Park President Deb Bullwinkel 14 percent. Krishnamoorthi was endorsed by major newspapers in the Chicago area, including the Chicago Tribune, Sun Times and Daily Herald, on his way to winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Congress in Illinois’ 8th District. Raja is “the best candidate, hands down,” wrote the Chicago Tribune, following endorsements from the Daily Herald and Chicago Sun-Times.
“I’m proud that we ran on ideas, not on insults,” Krishnamoorthi said before hundreds of supporters in Schaumburg, Ill., a northwest Chicago suburb in the heart of the 8th Congressional district. “That’s how we’ll win in November, and it’s how we’ll beat Donald Trump. And let me tell Mr. Trump something tonight: We don’t need him to make America great again. It’s already great. We just need to make sure that America lives up to its promise – that is if you work hard and play by the rules, you and your children can succeed. That’s the America I believe in. That’s the America you believe in. And, together, we’ll make sure nobody takes it away,” he said.
“The Indian-American community stands whole-heartedly with Raja and we will be there for him with whatever he needs. We are with him,” Mafat Patel, founder of Indian grocery giant Patel Brothers said.
“Raja’s victory is an outstanding achievement. He has won by mobilizing the community on the grassroots level. He is eminently qualified and his acumen and vision have created a tremendous momentum. We stand together shoulder to shoulder with Raja, and I have full conviction that he will be the next Congressman of the 8th District of Illinois,” said Keerti K. Ravoori, a community leader.
Although Krishnamoorthi’s campaign has resulted in record-breaking participation by South Asian voters and the 8th District has historically been a heavily democratic constituency, the Krishnamoorthi campaign remains focused on spreading its message to all the constituents and is not taking anything for granted as it looks forward to the November elections.
“We had a big coalition come together to vote for me, including Latinos, Caucasians, and South Asians. As a united community we need to send a strong signal that Donald Trump and his divisive message is not the future of America. I’m actively networking with members of the Greek, Italian, Irish, and Latino communities who are all a part of the fabric of the 8th District,” Krishnamoorthi said.
“They are looking for voice of unity and I am the person to offer than. From now till the Election Day in November, I need support from all members of the community, who believe in unity, to be our foot soldiers, whether it’s volunteering, resources and money, to spread our message for a better future for middle class families. We cannot take anything for granted, not even one single vote can be taken for granted from now until November, “Krishnamoorthi told Desi Talk in an interview.
Krishnamoorthi will run against uncontested primary Republican nominee Pete DiCianni. DiCianni, currently a DuPage County Board member and former mayor of Elmhurst, announced his candidacy March 13 at Elmhurst’s Talkie Trot, an event his family has started 8 years ago to raise awareness for autism and other disabilities.
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