Democrat Noland says he'll run for Congress

Democratic state Sen. Mike Noland of Elgin said he will run for Congress in 2016, setting up a battle with Schaumburg businessman Raja Krishnamoorthi in the March 15 primary election.

Noland had been weighing whether to run for the seat, which is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, who is running for U.S. Senate.

Noland has been in the state Senate since 2007 and said he was waiting to see if his campaign could raise enough money to compete. And, he said, it helped that fellow state Sen. Tom Cullerton of Villa Park vacated the race this month.

“I think Washington beckons,” Noland said.

Krishnamoorthi has been raising money and collecting endorsements for his own campaign, last week announcing the support of U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley of Chicago and the national vice chair of the Democratic caucus in Congress.

On the Republican side, disability activist Andrew Straw says he's in the race, and DuPage County Board member Pete DiCianni has said he's looking at it, too.

Noland's bid for Congress means he can't run for re-election to the Illinois Senate, and Kane County Board member Cristina Castro announced Sunday she'll look to move into his seat.