Polling Shows Raja Krishnamoorthi Leading Dem Primary

India-West News Desk

CHICAGO, IL – Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has opened a commanding lead in the Illinois Democratic primary to succeed retiring Senator Dick Durbin, according to new polling that shows him well ahead of the rest of the field.

An Emerson College Polling and WGN TV survey finds 31 percent of Democratic primary voters backing Krishnamoorthi, giving him a lead of more than twenty points over his closest rivals, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and Representative Robin Kelly, who are both stuck in the low double digits.

The survey was conducted January 3-5 among 1,000 likely Illinois primary voters. It carries a credibility interval of three percentage points overall.

Despite Krishnamoorthi’s advantage, the race remains fluid, with 46 percent of Democratic voters still undecided less than three months before the March primary, the poll shows.

Krishnamoorthi’s support is strongest among older and male voters. Just over four in ten Democratic voters over the age of fifty support him, a level of backing mirrored among male primary voters. Those numbers are driving his early edge in a crowded field that has yet to fully consolidate.

Among women voters, nearly half of Illinois women say they have not made up their minds. About 26 percent currently support Krishnamoorthi, while thirteen percent back Stratton and eight percent favor Kelly, highlighting both Krishnamoorthi’s lead and the large pool of voters still in play.

The Hill pointed out that The Cook Political Report rates the seat as safely Democratic, meaning the Democratic nominee is expected to have a smooth path in the general election in the heavily blue state.

As the race intensifies, Krishnamoorthi recently stepped down from his role as the top Democrat on the House select committee focused on competition with China. While he did not give a specific reason, the move comes as his Senate bid gains momentum.