Political roundabout: Dems Bankole, Dunung and Morrison line up to fill Raja’s seat; JB to face GOP in DC

It’s not that often a congressional seat opens up in the metro region and so candidates already are queuing to replace U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in the 8th Congressional District.

Krishnamoorthi started the chain reaction after jumping into the 2026 race for retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat.

Early out of the gate are Democratic hopefuls Hanover Park Trustee Yasmeen Bankole, Des Plaines executive Sanjyot Dunung, and Cook County Board 15th District Commissioner Kevin Morrison of Mount Prospect.

Making things interesting is the fact both Bankole and Morrison are former Krishnamoorthi staffers.

Bankole worked at Schaumburg Township District Library for nearly a decade, is currently Durbin’s regional director, and was a delegate at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. She has a master’s degree in Global Affairs from the University of Denver and attended Lake Park High School.

“Born in Chicago, I was blessed to bloom where I was planted,” Bankole said in a video. “I grew up in Hanover Park and I’m the daughter of immigrants. I paid my own way through college. Afterward, I embarked on a career of public service that changed my life.”

As village trustee, “I lowered water bills for seniors, worked with our police department to provide free door bell cameras to our residents … and I continue to prioritize public safety. It’s time for a new generation to lead the way.”

Dunung is CEO and founder of Atma Global, which develops and publishes global learning solutions for public and private clients. She graduated from Northwestern University, is a National Small Business Association board director, and raised three children as a single mom, including one serving in the military.

“I was born in India, but I was made in America,” Dunung said in a video. “My family came to Des Plaines when I was 6 years old. This community gave me a chance. Inspired by my parents’ work ethic, I started babysitting at age 9 and never stopped working.

“I worry about the threats we’re facing today. The high costs of everything — food, rent, child care, health care, medication, saving for retirement, making sure your kids have the same or even better opportunities than we had.”

Morrison is the grandson of Italian immigrants who worked hard selling vegetables in Chicago, which led to a successful family restaurant. He is the first openly gay member of the Cook County Board. In a video, Morrison said he’s concerned “far too many people feel left behind and that’s not right.”

“My grandparents immigrated to this country because they believed if you work hard, you should be able to get ahead. My mother instilled the values in me of giving back to community and treating everyone with dignity and respect.”

As commissioner, “I have fought to expand voting rights, fought to expand crucial funding for mental health care, and fought to fend off discrimination. I want to be your voice in … Congress fighting for you every single day among all this chaos and noise.”

Meanwhile, federal records show business owner Mark Rice filed a statement of candidacy Monday. The Chicago Republican, who previously ran against Krishnamoorthi, could not be reached for comment.

Get your popcorn ready

Gov. JB Pritzker heads to Washington, D.C., June 12 to testify on immigration issues at the behest of the House Committee on Oversight.

President Donald Trump’s “administration is taking decisive action to deport criminal illegal aliens from our nation but reckless sanctuary states like Illinois, Minnesota, and New York are actively seeking to obstruct federal immigration enforcement,” GOP Committee Chair James Comer said.

Based on Pritzker’s record of GOP-related ripostes — we expect some feisty exchanges.

Illinois’ Trust Act fully complies with federal law, Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough said Wednesday. He added that despite Republican rhetoric, the policy “ensures law enforcement can focus on doing their jobs well while empowering all members of the public, regardless of immigration status, to feel comfortable calling police officers and emergency services if they are in need of help.”

· Political roundabout is an occasional column on campaign, legislative and political news with a suburban focus. Daily Herald staff writer Eric Peterson contributed to this report.