RACE: U.S. House - 8th District

About the Candidate

Name: Raja Krishnamoorthi
DOB: July 19, 1973
Occupation: Member of Congress
Political Experience: Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 2017-present; Deputy Treasurer for Illinois, 2007 2009; Special Assistant Attorney General for Illinois, 2006-2007; Member of Board of Illinois Housing Development Authority, 2005-2007; Member of the Village of Hoffman Estates Comprehensive Planning Advisory Committee, 2005-2007; and Judicial Clerk to Judge Joan Gottschall, U.S. District Court, Northern District of IL, 2001-2002
Website: https://rajaforcongress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/RajaForCongress
Facebook: facebook.com/rajaforcongress

Candidate Statement

Hi.  I’m Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of the 8th Congressional District.  It’s the honor of my lifetime to represent you in Congress.

I ran for office promising to reduce healthcare costs, to tackle climate change, and to protect consumers from companies engaged in predatory price hikes and threats to our children. 

That’s why I fought to protect Obamacare from all efforts to repeal it. We cannot go back to the days when insurance companies denied coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.

I founded the premier solar energy caucus in Congress, and I successfully ushered millions of dollars to programs that will make it more possible for all of us to “go solar” within our communities.

I used my committee in Congress to expose toxic heavy metals in baby food, to stop e-cigarette companies from targeting our kids, and to clear the market of products that are causing cancer and other diseases. Our children are not for sale.

I wrote the law to increase federal support for career and technical education for the millions of Americans who don’t attend a four-year college. By providing the skills and training for good jobs with a future, we can help more Americans reach the middle class.

And now, I’m leading the effort in Congress to hold accountable companies that are hiking prices on everyday consumer goods, from gas to groceries.

I’m also leading the charge to ban Members of Congress from trading individual stocks to end insider trading in Congress once and for all. 

I hope we can return to a politics that unites us, that uplifts us, and that does not divide us. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you. I humbly ask for your support again to continue my work on your behalf.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

When my father lost his income in the recession of the early-1970s, my family experienced economic hardship for a period and had to rely on public housing and food stamps.  Thanks to the generosity of the American people, access to a quality public education, and robust economic opportunities in this country, my family persevered and built a thriving, middle-class life in Peoria, Illinois. In Congress, I have worked to help more Americans achieve and sustain the middle-class life that my family experienced.

During my five years in Congress, I am proud to have accomplished a lot in this regard, such as expanding technical education for the 2/3rds of Americans who don’t attend four-year college and passing an infrastructure bill that will create millions of good jobs.  But there’s a lot left to do – starting with moving our economy toward renewable domestic energy sources and by bringing down the high price of prescription drugs.

What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?

I am very proud of my office’s success helping my constituents with their problems.  Whether it’s through locating missing Social Security checks, helping veterans get their benefits, ensuring small businesses obtain pandemic loans, or reuniting families with relatives in Afghanistan or Ukraine, serving the people of the 8th District is my number one priority.

What needs fixing is the cynicism about government that I hear from many of my constituents, reflecting the seemingly unending indictments of public officials in the Chicago area.  Many Americans no longer believe that their government works for them, but rather for officeholders and their friends.  One big step Congress can take to help restore faith in government would be to pass legislation I wrote to ban Members of Congress and top staff from trading individual stocks.  This would send a strong signal that Congress is focused on the public interest rather than using insider knowledge to promote their own financial interest.

What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?

I hear constantly from my constituents, in town meetings and in public, on how they are struggling with inflation and higher prices on everyday goods such as food and gas. I have supported efforts in Congress to prioritize within the infrastructure bill those projects that address supply-chain problems, such as harbor and rail improvements.  I’ve also supported President Biden’s decision to release millions of barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help reduce the cost of gasoline at the pump.

As Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, I launched an investigation into corporate profiteering and price gouging by shipping companies, rental car companies, meat processing companies, and many more. I want to ensure that such price increases are justified and not an attempt to gouge consumers and unfairly profiteer during a time of high inflation.

What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?

I have made it a hallmark of my representation in Congress to be accessible to all constituents of the 8th congressional district regardless of who they are, where they live, or what they believe.  I am the Congressman for every resident of our district, whether they voted for me or not, and am willing to assist on a variety of issues, including but not limited to immigration, small business relief, and veterans’ assistance. I reach out to my constituents through regular town hall meetings, in-person meetings in Schaumburg and DC, and through emails and active social media accounts.

My district encompasses many elected officials of both parties, and I work hard to represent their local interests in Washington.  I am proud to have brought home millions in federal tax dollars for worthy projects spanning our congressional district, including grants to address domestic violence, build job training centers, and enhance early childhood learning programs at libraries and schools.