A deep dive into why I support Robin Kelly to succeed U.S. Senator Dick Durbin
A look at how Robin Kelly has done more for taxpayers than either Stratton or Krishnamoorthi, and why you should support her to succeed retiring US Senator Dick Durbin
By Ray Hanania
FREE/Politics, US Senate, 2026 Election/Friday, July 18, 2025
So far, three prominent Democrats have announced their intent to run as candidates to succeed U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, who has held that office since 1997. Peoria Republican Darin LaHood is also an announced contender in the race to be held on March 17, 2026.
They are:
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, who has the backing of “Daddy Warbucks” Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
5-term U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of the 8th Congressional District.
And, 5-term U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly of the 2nd District, South of Chicago, including Matteson and Kankakee, down to Danville.
Stratton and Kelly are African American, and Krishnamoorthi is of India heritage, born in New Delhi but raised in Peoria, which gives him an edge over LaHood, who is Lebanese American.
Despite being backed by one of the wealthiest people in politics, Pritzker, Stratton has not raised as much money as Krishnamoorthi or Kelly have raised though she has about $1 million in her campaign fund.
Krishnamoorthi is the leading fundraiser with more than $19 million in his fund, while Kelly only has $2.2 million. India-Americans are a very wealthy community. But critics note Krishnamoorthi has spent most of his free time raising funds for his future office, anticipating Durbin’s retirement, while Kelly has had her nose to the legislative grindstone.
Stratton is best known for spearheading the Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative and chairs the Illinois Council on Women and Girls, the Governor's Rural Affairs Council, the Military and Economic Development Council, and the Illinois River Coordinating Council. But she has lived under Pritzker’s large shadow and played mostly a “background role” intended to help strengthen the governor’s failed efforts to improve Illinois, especially among minority groups.
Stratton would have had a better chance running without Pritzker, who has only donated $7,000, so far, to her campaign.
Krishnamoorthi is best known for helping voters properly say his name, “Raja,” and lesser known for introducing legislation to help constituents in his 8th District. He is the Ranking Member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, and we have seen how much that effort has fallen apart over the years.
Most people can’t identify one major issue or legislation Krishnamoorthi has championed. He has spent most of his time over the years selling the cutesy strategy to build his future election chances by helping the public pronounce his name. “Just call me Raja,” he says with an infectious smile in his expensive TV commercials.
Krishnamoorthi has spent his career keeping people happy by avoiding controversies that require courage. He has spent more money to promote himself than any other Congressman, prompting many to mock him by saying, “Just call ‘Raja,’ Mr. ‘Nada’!”
Kelly, on the other hand, has rolled up her sleeves and has been at the forefront of nearly every progressive piece of legislation that has been introduced to the U.S. Congress. You can’t even begin to list everything she has done or the legislation he has championed because there is so much.
But here is a “short” overview:
Kelly has introduced more legislation than Stratton or Krishnamoorthi combined that has directly helped not only her constituents but also taxpayers throughout the state.
Healthcare: Her work in healthcare includes introducing the Health Equity and Accountability Act to address health disparities, the Access to Birth Control Act to guarantee access to birth control, and supporting the FOOD for Health Act to promote "Food is Medicine" programs. She was also the primary sponsor of the enacted Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2021 and advanced her MOMMAs Act to provide 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage.
Gun Violence Prevention: Kelly has introduced several bills to combat gun violence, including advocating for funding for community violence prevention programs and introducing the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to update laws for licensed firearm dealers. She also introduced a resolution supporting the designation of June 6 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
Education and Workforce Development: She has introduced legislation like the AID Youth Employment Act and the HERO for Youth Act of 2025 to expand job opportunities for underserved youth. Kelly has supported initiatives for STEM and computer science education, workforce retraining, and secured funding for youth employment.
Technology and Infrastructure: Kelly introduced the Promoting Access to Broadband Act of 2023 to improve internet access. She was a sponsor of the enacted IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020, which aims to enhance cybersecurity for connected devices. She also contributed to the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Other Notable Programs and Initiatives: This includes the Congressional Youth Cabinet for civic engagement, the Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program for Veteran employment, the Protect Black Women and Girls Act, and the Protecting Seniors from Scams Act. She also supports various community projects through funding submissions.
The choice really comes down to this:
1 - Give Pritzker a stronger base to run for higher office, maybe president;
2 - elect Krishnamoorthi, who will go along with the party leaders, because it is politically safer, rather than introducing his own initiatives to help the public;
3 - or, support Kelly, who has spent more time addressing the needs of her constituents and state taxpayers than her own needs, and has introduced more legislation to address important issues.
The choice is simple. Embrace self-serving populists who have no real issues behind their names and who have avoided taking strong stands on big issues, or support someone who has fearlessly taken on challenges regardless of their impact on herself?
Kelly is definitely someone who will work hardest in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the people of Illinois. She will put meaning back into the Democratic Party, which has been weakened by a lack of strong leaders over the past decade, and given impetus for the formation of the America Party led by X.com founder and the richest man in the world, Elon Musk.
But let me also say a few words about Durbin.
Initially, I was not a big fan of Durbin’s because of his campaign to silence and oust the only voice for human rights in Israel, former Congressman Paul Findley, the military veteran and author of the must-read book “They Dare to Speak Out.” Findley was one of a handful of Congress members who condemned Israel’s vicious attack on the U.S.S. Liberty in 1967 when Israel’s military killed 34 U.S. sailors, wounded 173 other American soldiers.
In 1982, Durbin won the Democratic nomination for the 20th congressional district, which included Macon and most of Springfield. He scored a 1,400-vote victory, defeating 22-year incumbent Paul Findley, a U.S. Navy veteran,
Findley was a powerful supporter of civil rights and the civil rights movement, and one of the first voices to speak out against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Findley co-authored the War Powers Act in 1973, which aims to limit the ability of the president to go to war without congressional authorization.
Findley’s district lines had been substantially redrawn by Democrats who supported Israel to remove rural farms and add economically depressed Macon, which was dependent on Federal government subsidies. This change replaced 35% of the voters of the district and included more Democrats as part of the decennial redistricting that Durbin tapped to defeat Findley.
But during his time in Washington D.C., representing Illinois in the US Senate, Durbin has remediated his anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian positions that he used to slander and defeat Findley, and has been a forceful champion of justice, human rights, and helping middle and lower class taxpayers survive in today’s harsh world.