Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Indian American Democrat, earns a spot on Chicago Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Chicagoans list, ranking 24th, marking him as the highest-ranking South Asian on the list. Serving four terms since his election in 2016, he represents Illinois’ 8th District, covering Chicago’s west and northwest suburbs and the 41st ward.
Krishnamoorthi holds a significant role as the ranking member of the Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, making him the first South Asian American to lead a Congressional Committee. Additionally, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, where he’s the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services.
With a campaign fund of $14.4 million, Rep. Krishnamoorthi outpaces other Illinois congressional representatives by more than threefold, ranking third highest in Congress overall. In 2022, he contributed $460,000 to Democratic candidates and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, possibly in anticipation of a Senate run in 2026 if Dick Durbin chooses to retire.
Krishnamoorthi holds several leadership positions, including vice-chair of the Equality Caucus and co-chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Immigration Task Force. He’s also the founder and chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic and the bipartisan Solar Caucus.
His commitment to public service extends beyond Congress. As a former member of the Illinois Housing Development Authority and Illinois Deputy Treasurer, Krishnamoorthi played key roles in providing affordable housing and improving efficiency in state programs. Transitioning back to the private sector, he served as president of research-oriented small businesses focusing on technology development in national security and renewable energy sectors. Additionally, he co-founded InSPIRE, a non-profit organization providing training in solar technology to inner-city students and veterans.
