Krishnamoorthi Vs. Nelson: 8th Congressional District Race

SCHAUMBURG, IL — Incumbent Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Schaumburg, is running for his third term as the representative for the 8th Congressional District against Libertarian challenger Preston Nelson, from Elgin, in the Nov. 3 General Election. The congressional districts includes part of Cook, DuPage and Kane counties, including Barrington Hills, Carpentersville, East Dundee, Elgin, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Schaumburg, South Elgin, Wood Dale and Addison.

Incumbent Krishnaomoorthi stepped into the national spotlight when he served on the House Intelligence Committee tasked with impeaching President Donald Trump.

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Krishnamoorthi, who emigrated with his family to the U.S. from India, supports policy platforms focused on growing and strengthening the middle class by supporting small businesses, rebuilding infrastructure and protecting Social Security and Medicare. He has also fought to make college more affordable, expand access to paid sick and parental leave, and guarantee equal pay for equal work.

In March, Krishnamoorthi said he wished the federal government would have been more aggressive in combating COVID-19. He also called out the Trump administration during an interview on MSNBC over their lack of transparency over how many people had been tested for the coronavirus thus far across the U.S.

"At what rate are we testing people every day because right now we're not even sure we have the capacity to test at the rate that, for instance, South Korea is doing, which is 10,000 per day," he said in the MSNBC interview.

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Krishnamoorthi has also been focused on addressing issues surrounding vaping among teens. He led the first congressional hearing investigating JUUL, which uncovered information that the company had targeted teens with its product design and advertising.

"This led to the Food and Drug Administration's decision to force JUUL and other vaping companies to end the use of most flavored vapes that are particularly attractive to teens," Krishnamoorthi wrote in his questionnaire, which he submitted to Patch.com. "I have also sponsored legislation with Senator (Dick) Durbin and Republican Congressman Peter King that would tax vaping companies to provide $200 million annually for a school-based education program to stop kids from vaping."

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Krishnamoorthi's opponent, Nelson, is an inventor and entrepreneur. Although he has not previously been elected or appointed to office, Nelson has held jobs as a teacher and waiter, and he was a missionary in 2012. Nelson graduated in 2011 from Rend Lake College with an A.A.S in Information Technology.

According to Nelson's Patch Candidate Questionnaire responses, the candidate said he only accepts donations from individuals, not big companies like his opponent, and believes the single most pressing issue we face is premature death.

"There are two largely preventable categories: War, and Disease," Nelson said.

When asked to describe other issues that define his campaign platform, Nelson said, "Representing real people is the most important issue. Billionaire corporations and political donors receive too much attention from Congress. Most all of our issues are rooted in this, from never-ending wars, to subsidies for unhealthy food. Inflation is another huge issue."

When asked in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency), Nelson said Krishnamoorthi is the spearhead of an effort to ban vaping, but has not endorsed or cosponsored the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act, nor the Ending Qualified Immunity Act, and "has declined to even listen to the mayor of a city he represents in the 8th district.

"The mayor claims that members of his community were affected by asbestos at the headquarters of a certain large corporation," Nelson continued. "Asbestos was then illegally dumped within Rolling Meadows. This corporation also donates thousands of dollars to Raja's reelection campaigns. This is an ongoing investigation."

In addition, Nelson said Krishnamoorthi has "failed to make progress for DACA and DREAMERS." In addition, Nelson claimed that when given the opportunity to vote to bring our soldiers home, Krishnamoorthi voted against the opportunity to bring soldiers home and instead to prolong deployments to Syria.

When asked what accomplishment would make his term in office as a success should he win this position, Nelson said he would "like to protect and enforce real democracy by mandating equal ballot access to all political parties and independents, as well as equal access to debates."

In light of the coronavirus pandemic and the surge in Black Lives Matter protests, Patch updated the questionnaire candidates have filled out in the past to include three additional questions. Krishnamoorthi and his team have not answered those questions.

Read more, including Nelson's response to whether he supports Black Lives Matter, the campaign to "defund" the police, and more: Patch Candidate Q&A: Preston Nelson, 8th Congressional District.

The basics

• Election date: Nov. 3
• Polls on Election Day (Nov. 3) will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Election Day polling places
• A complete list of Cook County drop boxes can be found here. The CCCO said it will be updated when new locations are added or with any changes.
• Registration deadline(s): Nov. 3 (in person)
• Same-day registration: Yes
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (postmarked); Nov. 17 (received)

Voting in person

• If you've voted in Illinois before, you don't need to provide ID to vote
• You may need an ID if: You registered to vote by mail and did not provide ID; an election judge challenges your right to vote; if you are also registering to vote or changing your registration address on the day that you vote.
• Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• If you are already in line to vote when the polls close, you still have the right to cast your ballot
• Where to vote: Find your polling place here (you can also find this and a sample ballot on your county clerk's website).
• Staying safe: Aside from wearing a mask and staying 6 feet away from other voters, you can also minimize risk by voting early to avoid long lines to vote.

You Can Vote Safely In Person Despite Coronavirus. Here's How.

Related:

• Patch Candidate Q&A: Preston Nelson, 8th Congressional District
• Raja Krishnamoorthi, 8th Congressional District Questionnaire
• Election 2020 Early Voting, Sign Regulations In Palatine
• 8th Congressional District: Krishnamoorthi Wins Primary

What and who are on the ballot?

• Fair tax amendment: This "yes or no" ballot initiative will ask voters to approve a change to the state constitution that will allow lawmakers to set a graduated income tax rather than the flat tax that currently exits.
• Presidential race: While the ballot contains candidates from the Green party, Party for Socialism and Liberation, American Solidarity party and Libertarian party, it comes down to President Donald Trump/Vice President Mike Pence vs. Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden/U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris.
• U.S. Senate: Incumbent Democrat Dick Durban faces off against Republican Mark C. Curran Jr., Willie Wilson (of the Willie Wilson Party), Green party candidate David F. Black and Libertarian Danny Malouf.