Raja Krishnamoorthi PAC puts $100,000 into races

Washington, Aug 22 (IANS) Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s political organisation is contributing $100,000 to Democratic candidates and causes as he prepares to sit out a November election for the first time in nearly a decade.

Krishnamoorthi said Equal Opportunity Now would direct the money to candidates and political groups in Illinois and elsewhere across the United States.

The organisation operates under the registered name Reviving American Jobs Again PAC, also known as RAJA PAC.

“For the first time in nearly a decade, I won’t be on the ballot this November,” Krishnamoorthi said in a fundraising message.

“I’ll be honest — that’s a strange thing to sit with. For years, asking for your vote has been how I showed up in this fight,” he added.

The message did not explain why Krishnamoorthi would not be on the November ballot or identify all the candidates and organisations receiving the money.

It described the $100,000 allocation as an effort to support a new generation of Democratic candidates and help the party compete in congressional and other races.

“Not being on the ballot doesn’t change that belief,” Krishnamoorthi said. “If anything, it’s freed me up to do something I care about just as much: help elect the next generation of Democrats who will fight for working families.”

The Illinois Democrat said early financial support could significantly assist candidates attempting to establish competitive campaigns.

“We’re doing it because I know firsthand what it takes to run a campaign, and I know how much difference an early, real investment can make for a candidate who’s ready to fight but needs the resources to do it,” he said.

The PAC’s message focused on wages, employment, democratic institutions and economic opportunities for working families.

Krishnamoorthi said he intended to remain politically active even without his name appearing on the ballot.

“My name may not be on the ballot. But I’m still all in,” he said.

Krishnamoorthi was born in New Delhi and raised in the United States. He has represented an Illinois congressional district in the US House of Representatives since January 2017.

He has held senior assignments involving intelligence, national security, economic policy and strategic competition with China.

Krishnamoorthi is among a growing group of Indian-American lawmakers who have developed fundraising networks capable of supporting candidates beyond their own districts.

Indian-American political donors have also become increasingly active in congressional, gubernatorial and presidential campaigns.

The November midterms will determine control of the House and Senate and include closely contested races across several states.

–IANS

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