CHICAGO (Diya TV) — Business executive and policy advocate Sanjyot Dunung is entering the race for Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, joining a growing Democratic field competing to represent the suburban Chicago seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The contest for Illinois’ 8th District has drawn heightened attention ahead of the 2026 election cycle after longtime Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate, creating an open seat in a district that includes communities across Chicago’s northwest suburbs such as Schaumburg, Elgin, and Des Plaines.
Dunung, an entrepreneur with decades of experience in international business and trade policy, says her campaign is grounded in both professional expertise and deep ties to the district.
Speaking with Diya TV’s Ravi Kapur, Dunung described her motivation for running as rooted in community engagement and a desire to bring practical policy experience to Congress.
“I really enjoy talking to people, and I’m very much part of the community,” Dunung said. “It’s not easy to run a campaign like this, but it’s important work.”
Dunung has been involved in national policy discussions for several years, including serving on President Joe Biden’s foreign policy working groups. She says that experience focused in part on strengthening small businesses and expanding opportunities for American companies to compete in global markets.
“On Biden’s foreign policy working groups we worked to strengthen small businesses and increase exports,” Dunung said.
In addition to that role, she continues to serve on the National Small Business Association, one of the largest nonpartisan small-business advocacy organizations in Washington, D.C. Through that work, she says she has helped engage policymakers on economic issues affecting entrepreneurs and job creation.
“We’re really helping to make sure on the Hill that we’re advocating for common-sense, sensible policy,” she said.
Dunung also serves on the Truman Center for National Policy, a Washington-based organization focused on national security and foreign policy leadership. She says her involvement there has deepened her understanding of global economic competition and the security challenges facing the United States.
“I’m steeped in economic and national security policy that’s current,” Dunung said. “That’s why I can be effective on day one.”
While Dunung’s professional work has taken her across the country and internationally, she emphasized that her decision to run for Congress is rooted in the district where she grew up.
“I chose this seat because it’s home,” she said. “Where you are first raised really creates the fabric of who you are. It shapes your values and it shapes how you see the world.”
She added that although education and career experiences may take people elsewhere, their early community influences often remain central to their identity and public service.
“No matter where else you might go for graduate training or jobs, where you were raised really is the cornerstone of the fabric of who you are,” Dunung said.
Illinois’ 8th Congressional District has long been considered a politically competitive but Democratic-leaning district. The open-seat race has already attracted multiple Democratic candidates, setting the stage for a closely watched primary contest.
Candidates across the field are expected to campaign heavily on issues including economic growth, job creation, immigration policy, and federal investment in suburban infrastructure.
Dunung says her campaign will focus heavily on economic opportunity, support for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and policies that strengthen the district’s role in the broader American economy.
As the campaign unfolds, voters across the district will be weighing a wide range of candidates seeking to succeed Krishnamoorthi in representing the region in Washington.
