8 Democrats, 4 Republicans Vie To Succeed Krishnamoorthi In IL 8th District: Election 2026

CHICAGO, IL — For the first time in almost a decade, the seat for Illinois' 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives will not go to Raja Krishnamoorthi.

Krishnamoorthi, who has held the seat since he assumed office on Jan. 3, 2017, is not seeking reelection. Instead, he is running in the U.S. Senate election to take over the seat held by Sen. Dick Durbin, who is not seeking reelection after more than 40 years in Washington.

When Krishnamoorthi was last reelected, in November 2024, he defeated Republican Mark Rice, who is running again this year, with 57 percent of the vote.

In the March 17 primary election, eight Democrats and four Republicans are hoping to become their party's nominee for the race.

Junaid Ahmed, Yasmeen Bankole, Melissa Bean, Sanjyot Dunung, Neil Khot, Kevin Morrison, Dan Tully and Ryan Vetticad are seeking the Democratic nomination. Whoever wins will face off against the winner of the Republican primary in November. Republican candidates include Kevin Ake, Jennifer Davis, Herbert Hebein and Rice.

As of the 2020 redistricting, District 8 still represents a part of northern Cook County, but it also includes parts of northern DuPage County, northeast Kane County and a part of the Chicago neighborhood of O'Hare.

Take a look at the candidates running in the Republican and Democratic primaries.

RELATED: IL 2026 Primary Election Guide: Who's Running, What You Need To Know

Democratic Primary

Junaid Ahmed said he intends to stand up to President Donald Trump, call for peace in the Gaza war and the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and invest in quality education, according to his campaign website.

"I am running to bring down costs for working families, stand up to the Trump administration and Abolish ICE, and give every American universal healthcare," Ahmed told WTTW.

Ahmed worked in professional services from 2000 to 2007 and in information technology consulting from 2007 to 2021, according to Ballotpedia. He started two companies, in 2007 and 2013, that helped UPS and U.S. Customs flag suspicious packages, his campaign site said.

Yasmeen Bankole, born in Chicago and raised in Hanover Park, became a congressional aide for Krishnamoorthi at the height of Trump's first term, overseeing Krishnamoorthi's Social Security and Medicare casework portfolio. She has also worked as regional director for Durbin, managing congressional outreach portfolios throughout northern Illinois, and serves as a trustee in the Village of Hanover Park.

Her priorities include lowering the costs of living, protecting immigrants, fighting for workers and organized labor, championing digital assets and generational wealth, and fighting for accountability and justice for people impacted by the Israeli-Hamas conflict.

Melissa Bean represented the 8th district from 2005 to 2011, serving on the financial services and small business committees. While in Congress, she helped pass Obamacare, defended reproductive rights and helped pass the Recovery Act.

Bean's top campaign issues include restoring the American Dream by strengthening the middle class and expanding opportunities, supporting comprehensive immigration reform while opposing Trump's mass deportation, fighting for affordable healthcare, and restoring American values, according to her website.

Bean founded SRI, a consulting firm, in 1995. In 2019, the Chicago-based Mesirow Wealth Advisors hired Bean as its CEO and president.

Sanjyot Dunung said she is running "because families in our district deserve experienced, solutions-driven leadership grounded in facts, evidence, and real-world experience — not slogans or political theater." Her goals for running include lowering everyday costs, strengthening education, defending reproductive rights, and delivering practical and innovative policies.

Dunung is a military mom, small business owner, author, educator and social scientist, she wrote on her campaign website. Her values include hard work, education, service and responsibility.

"I will be a workhorse for the people of the Eighth District, advancing commonsense policies that build a brighter future for all Americans: a future where daily life is more affordable, safer, and healthier," she wrote. "One grounded in freedom, fairness, mutual respect, shared values, and smart investments in the long-term needs of our communities."

Neil Khot is running for Congress to "give back to the community that has given him everything," he wrote on his campaign site. His goal is to act as a "critical check" on the Trump administration, protecting the Medicare system and fighting for a welcoming community for all.

A first-generation immigrant born in India, Khot said he will fight for reproductive rights, earned benefits, and an economy that cultivates opportunity and supports small businesses.

Khot founded Rely Services, a firm that provides business services from process automation to data entry and document digitization.

Kevin Morrison is a Cook County commissioner who, in 2018, became the first openly gay and the youngest person to hold the title. He obtained his law degree from the University of Illinois Chicago law school in 2024.

Morrison's campaign focuses on affordability, small businesses and working families, accountability, fighting Trump, workers' rights, reproductive rights and protecting the most vulnerable.

"I will be a fighter for our working families, and a voice to show that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can make a difference," Morrison wrote on his campaign website.

Dan Tully, a U.S. Army veteran and attorney, based his campaign on the following topics: Upholding the Constitution and restoring the rule of law, making the American Dream more accessible, promoting health and safety, protecting veterans and seniors, supporting immigrants, combating climate change, and shaping the future of technology.

Tully says he is the only candidate who provided detailed plans on how he will fight to rein in ICE, ban self-pardons, prosecute cabinet members "who carry out illegal orders" and make the Department of Justice fully independent.

Ryan Vetticad is running on a platform for Democratic reform, affordability and ending gun violence. His goal is to reduce Illinois property taxes, make groceries and healthcare more affordable, ban congressional stock trading and pass commonsense gun safety laws.

"I'm running for Congress because we can't afford to wait anymore," he wrote on his campaign website. "The old way of doing things isn't working, but we can make things better if we work together and find practical solutions. It's time to try something new, and it's time to try something real."

His career experience includes working as a lifeguard, mechanic, server and kindergarten teacher. He was an ROTC cadet while obtaining his bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois.

Republican Primary

Kevin Ake said he is the "best qualified person" to serve the 8th District. An Army veteran and Pennsylvania native, Ake has worked at HVAC Technical Institute since 2012. He is also a certified public accountant.

"I am running to put Republican voice back in the great state of Illinois," he said in a video on his campaign Facebook page.

Four years ago, Ake ran to unseat Kevin Morrison as commissioner. Ake was found guilty of a felony hate crime in 2002, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Jennifer Davis is running to bring commonsense business practices and family-first values to Washington. An author and co-founder of Davisware, a service technology firm, Davis's values are rooted in hard work, faith and family, she wrote on her campaign site.

Endorsed by the Chicago Tribune for the 8th District, Davis stated that her goals are to revitalize small businesses, reform education, implement stronger borders and a fairer immigration system, protect national security, enhance community safety and preserve the American Dream.

Herbert Hebein, a retired police officer, said he is running for Congress to bring his real-world experience to Washington. Hebein worked for the Chicago Police Department for 29 years.

"Herb believes government should put people first and return to common-sense leadership," his campaign website reads. "He supports law enforcement and the military and believes communities function best when public safety, constitutional freedoms, and personal responsibility are protected."

His platform includes protecting individual rights from government overreach, supporting stronger auditing and financial transparency, protecting education and parental rights, enforcing immigration laws and protecting constitutional rights.

Mark Rice, who works in energy management, described himself as a "job creator, political outsider [and] common sense leader." His priorities include restoring and strengthening the middle class, cracking down on government waste and corruption and applying a "liberty litmus test" to legislation.

He said the American Dream, freedom and the future are his biggest concerns. His goals include restoring the economy and protecting the middle class, national security, and constitutional rights.

When Rice ran against Krishnamoorthi in 2024, he lost by almost 43,000 votes.