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Washington: Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has taken a clear lead over his rivals in the race to become the next US Senator from Illinois, according to a new poll. With just two months left before the Democratic Party’s primary election, an Emerson College Polling/WGN-TV survey shows that Krishnamoorthi is the frontrunner, earning support from 31% of likely voters. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton - his closest rival - has just 10% support.
US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) departs after speaking on stage during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Getty Images)Illinois is considered a safe Democratic state, meaning the party’s nominee is widely expected to win the Senate seat in November’s general election. If Krishnamoorthi secures the nomination, he would likely be the favourite to win in November against a Republican candidate. A victory would make him the only Indian-American currently serving in the US Senate and only the second in history, after Kamala Harris.
Born in New Delhi, Krishnamoorthi has served in the US House of Representatives since 2017 representing Illinois’s 8th Congressional district. The 52-year old Congressman trained as a lawyer and cut his political teeth by aiding Barack Obama’s successful 2004 US Senate campaign in the state. However, Krishnamoorthi faced setbacks during the initial years of his political career. He ran unsuccessfully for the office of Illinois state comptroller in 2010 before losing another race for a seat in the US House in 2012 to Tammy Duckworth, who now represents Illinois in the Senate. Should Krishnamoorthi secure election to the Senate in November, the two former rivals will serve alongside each other as Illinois’s representatives in the upper house.
Krishnamoorthi has been noted for his service on the high-profile China Select Committee during his time in the House of Representatives. The committee attracted significant media and political attention through its investigations into China’s alleged intellectual property theft and influence operations within the US. As the top Democratic representative on the committee, Krishnamoorthi pushed for a tougher US policy on the Chinese Communist Party’s activities.
Krishnamoorthi launched his campaign for the US Senate in May 2025, running against Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. Despite Stratton’s support from key establishment figures in the Democratic party, Krishnamoorthi has surged ahead in the polls. Part of his success can be attributed to his major funding advantage over rivals. According to pollster Jim Williams, Krishnamoorthi spent more than $3 million on television ads between May and September in an effort to boost his name recognition in the Senate race. Williams found that these efforts had been successful, allowing Krishamoorthi to gain 13 points in the polls between May and September 2025.
However, the Emerson College poll also found that 46% of likely voters are still undecided about whom they will support in the Democratic party’s primary vote scheduled for March 17. Krishnamoorthi’s campaign remains confident about his prospects.
“For eight months, Raja has out-worked the competition, criss-crossing the state to meet directly with voters, fighting relentlessly to hold Donald Trump accountable, and earning the support of countless Illinois leaders who know that we need a proven fighter like Raja in the US Senate — and that’s exactly why he is going to win this primary on March 17th,” said Hannah Goss, a spokesperson for Krishnamoorthi’s campaign.