With U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi seeking a seat in the United States Senate, Illinois’ 8th Congressional District has become the site of one of the most closely watched Democratic primaries in the Chicago suburbs. Among the candidates vying to succeed him is Neil Khot, a business owner and community activist who says he is running not for political advancement, but to apply his professional experience and personal history to federal policymaking.
Khot, a first-generation immigrant raised by a single mother, has centered his campaign on affordability, healthcare access, job creation, and protecting earned benefits for seniors. In interviews and campaign materials, he consistently frames his candidacy as a response to what he describes as a growing disconnect between federal policy decisions and the daily realities facing working families.
“I’m not running because I want a title or the next career move,” Khot said when asked why he entered the race. “I’m running because this country and this district gave me everything, and I believe it’s time to give back in a meaningful way.”
If elected, Khot says his priorities would shape not only how he votes, but how aggressively he presses Congress to rethink healthcare costs, economic development, and accountability—arguing that influence in Washington is earned through persistence, coalition-building, and a willingness to challenge entrenched interests.
In an interview with the Chicago Crusader, Khot said his priorities would shape not only how he votes in Congress, but how aggressively he presses lawmakers to address healthcare costs, economic development, and government accountability.
The 8th Congressional District spans parts of Cook, DuPage, and Kane counties and includes communities such as Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Bartlett, and portions of Chicago’s Northwest Side. While the district is majority white, it is also home to substantial immigrant populations and smaller but significant Black communities whose concerns often overlap with broader issues of affordability, healthcare access, and economic opportunity.
Khot acknowledges the district’s demographic makeup while emphasizing that federal policy decisions do not affect communities in isolation. “Healthcare costs, Social Security, grocery prices, job loss—those issues cut across race and geography,” he said. “If Congress fails working families anywhere, it affects everyone.”
A central theme of Khot’s campaign is economic revitalization. He frequently cites data showing that the district has lost roughly half of its available jobs over the past decade, a decline he attributes to the departure of major employers such as Motorola, Ameritech, and Sears. In his view, the erosion of those economic anchors has contributed to population loss and long-term instability.
In response, Khot proposes a more proactive role for congressional offices in economic development. He has pledged to establish a dedicated economic development team within his office to actively recruit employers, including data centers, research parks, and advanced manufacturing firms, arguing that members of Congress can play a convening role that brings together federal resources, local governments, and private industry.
Khot points to his background as a business owner who says he has helped create more than 200 local jobs as evidence that he understands how companies evaluate locations and incentives. While congressional offices do not traditionally function as recruitment agencies, he argues that federal representatives can leverage relationships, infrastructure investments, and policy advocacy to attract employers to underutilized regions.
“We have the space, the location, and the workforce,” he said. “What we’ve lacked is aggressive coordination and leadership focused on replacing the economic pillars we lost.”
Economic development, Khot argues, cannot be separated from affordability. Rising grocery prices, housing costs, and healthcare premiums feature prominently in his critique of current federal policy. He has blamed tariffs and trade decisions for increasing the cost of imported goods and argues that trade policy must strike a balance between protecting American industries and shielding consumers from price shocks.
“When families are choosing between groceries and medical care, something is fundamentally broken,” he said. Khot has called for closer scrutiny of corporate pricing practices and supports reducing or eliminating tariffs that disproportionately affect everyday necessities.
Healthcare is among Khot’s most detailed policy areas, shaped in part by his experience navigating Medicare on behalf of his aging mother. He has made protecting Social Security and Medicare a cornerstone of his platform, repeatedly emphasizing that these programs are earned benefits funded through workers’ lifetime contributions rather than entitlements dependent on annual appropriations.
Khot rejects the framing of Social Security and Medicare as drivers of federal debt, arguing instead that inefficiencies and profiteering within the healthcare system—particularly by pharmaceutical and insurance companies—are the true cost drivers. He has cited disparities between U.S. healthcare spending and outcomes compared to other industrialized nations as evidence that incentives are misaligned.
To address doctor shortages, especially in underserved communities, Khot supports lifting the federal cap on medical residencies and allowing qualified foreign-trained physicians to practice in designated shortage areas through regulated pathways. He argues that increasing the supply of primary-care providers would reduce reliance on costly emergency room visits and improve long-term health outcomes.
“America spends more on healthcare than any nation in the world, yet outcomes don’t match the cost,” Khot said. “That tells us incentives are misaligned.”
Women’s economic security and reproductive autonomy are also central to Khot’s platform. Raised by a widowed mother, he has said her experience shaped his views on pay equity and workplace fairness. He supports stricter enforcement of equal-pay laws, increased penalties for wage discrimination, and continued access to reproductive healthcare as a matter of personal freedom and economic stability.
“These are not abstract issues,” he said. “They determine whether families can survive and whether women can fully participate in the economy.”
On immigration, Khot draws on his own experience as a naturalized citizen who entered the country legally and later obtained U.S. citizenship. He supports comprehensive immigration reform that expands legal pathways while prioritizing enforcement against violent offenders rather than families and workers.
Khot has been outspoken in criticizing aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, particularly large-scale raids that he says undermine trust in law enforcement and destabilize communities. His campaign actions have included hosting and moderating meetings with elected officials and mayors focused on immigration policy, civil liberties, and federal accountability.
He also frames immigration as a workforce issue, particularly in healthcare and skilled trades, arguing that bringing undocumented workers into the legal economy strengthens tax bases, labor protections, and public safety.
Education policy is another area where Khot’s stated priorities align with his professional narrative. He supports full funding for the Department of Education, increased investment in STEM programs, and expanded federal support for vocational and technical education. He has emphasized that two-year degree programs and trade certifications are essential to meeting workforce shortages and providing economic mobility without excessive student debt.
“Education isn’t just about college,” he said. “It’s about preparing people to compete in a global economy.”
On governance, Khot has pledged to support stronger congressional oversight of the executive branch, framing accountability as essential to restoring public trust. He has criticized what he describes as an erosion of checks and balances, particularly during periods of unified party control, and argues that Congress must more vigorously exercise its investigative authority.
In foreign policy, Khot supports restoring funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development, continued U.S. support for Ukraine’s self-defense, and a long-term diplomatic solution to the conflict in Israel and Gaza that protects civilian lives while supporting a two-state framework. He characterizes foreign aid as a cost-effective national security investment that can prevent more costly military conflicts.
The March Democratic primary for the 8th District features multiple candidates, reflecting both the district’s political importance and the open seat created by Krishnamoorthi’s Senate bid. Krishnamoorthi has said he will remain neutral in the race.
Khot says voters should judge candidates not on promises alone, but on consistency between stated priorities, lived experience, and demonstrated action. “Congress isn’t about grandstanding,” he said. “It’s about showing up, protecting people when it matters, and delivering tangible results.”
Beyond the policy debates, the 8th Congressional District is shaped by economic and demographic realities that frame the stakes of the race. The district includes a mix of middle- and upper-middle-income suburban communities alongside working-class pockets that have felt the effects of job losses and rising costs. Median household income in much of the district trends above state averages, yet affordability pressures tied to housing, healthcare, and everyday expenses persist. Crime rates vary by municipality but remain part of broader conversations about public safety and quality of life.
The district’s economic infrastructure is anchored by proximity to O’Hare International Airport, major expressways, and rail corridors, as well as numerous public school districts, community colleges, and nearby universities that feed the regional workforce pipeline and underscore the importance of federal investment in education and economic development.
As the campaign enters its final months, voters across the district will weigh whether Khot’s policy-focused approach and emphasis on accountability align with their expectations for the next representative in Washington.