Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi announced on Monday, January 5th, that he will be resigning from his position as the chief Democratic member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party later this month. House Democratic leaders subsequently announced that California Congressman Ro Khanna will be taking over this role.
In a statement released on Monday, Krishnamoorthi expressed his gratitude to House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries for appointing him to the House Select Committee on the CCP. He has served on the committee for three years and became the first Indian-American to chair a congressional committee or serve as the ranking member.
Krishnamoorthi specifically praised the “serious attitude, professional knowledge, and strong sense of responsibility” exhibited by members of the committee in his statement. He stated that while members may not always agree on all issues, “we have always been able to find ways to collaborate, identify common ground, and focus on strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness and security.”
The congressman also detailed the challenges posed by China (CCP) in various areas to the United States and emphasized that there are no simple solutions. He stated that addressing these challenges “requires careful consideration and a serious attitude, a commitment to developing practical policy solutions, and an unwavering effort to enhance America’s competitiveness without succumbing to fear or prejudice.”
Krishnamoorthi did not specify the reason for stepping down from this leadership position in his statement, but it is expected that he will focus on running for the Senate seat vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Dick Durbin. Durbin, currently serving as the Senate Minority Whip, announced in April that he would not seek reelection in 2026.
The House Select Committee on the CCP is widely praised as a bipartisan mechanism aimed at investigating and analyzing economic and political issues related to the Chinese government.
Following Krishnamoorthi’s resignation statement, Hakeem Jeffries announced on Monday that California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna will succeed Krishnamoorthi as the chief Democratic member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party until the end of the 119th Congress term in January 2027.
Krishnamoorthi is currently leading in the Democratic primary race for the Senate seat in Illinois. His campaign team announced on January 5th that the incumbent congressman is currently leading other candidates by 28 percentage points. Early voting in Illinois will begin on February 5, 2026.