NEW YORK: Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Indian- American Democrat in fray for election to the US House of Representatives, has won a crucial endorsement from President Barack Obama, who said being "the son of immigrants" he understands challenges facing America's working families.

"As the son of immigrants who worked their way into the middle-class, Raja understands both the challenges facing America's working families and the opportunities their work makes possible," Obama said in the endorsement released by Krishnamoorthi's campaign today. 

"I know he'll fight hard in Congress to create more good jobs, empower more Americans to start businesses, and help working families afford to put their children through college," Obama said. 

Krishnamoorthi, 42, had served Obama as issues director in the President's successful US Senate campaign in 2004. 

Krishnamoorthi is in the fray for this year's open-seat race in the 8th Congressional District of Illinois that includes west and northwest Chicago suburbs. 

He won the primary in March in the contest to replace Rep Tammy Duckworth in Congress. His win brightened the chance of yet another person of Indian-origin to be elected to the US House of Representatives in the November general elections. 

Krishnamoorthi said he was "honoured and humbled" to have the support of Obama in his race for Congress. 

"It only seems like yesterday that the two of us ate dinner in my childhood home in Peoria before the beginning of his historic rise to the US Senate and the White House. 

"A few gray hairs later, that dinner table conversation continues as we are focused on standing up for the middle class and working to make sure that we come together as a country instead of casting stones and insults at our fellow Americans," he said. 

Born in New Delhi, Krishnamoorthi, an attorney and entrepreneur, polled 57 per cent of the votes in the eighth Congressional District of Illinois as against his two other rivals State Senator Mike Noland (29 per cent) and Deb Bullwinkel (13 per cent) in the primaries. 

The district has a sizeable Indian-American population. 

Krishnamoorthi grew up in Peoria and later served as a founding prosecutor in Illinois Attorney-General Lisa Madigan's anti-corruption unit and as Deputy Treasurer of Illinois. He currently serves as president of Sivananthan Labs and Episolar, Inc, small businesses that sell products in the national security and renewable energy industries. 

He is a co-founder of InSPIRE, a non-profit organisation that provides training to Illinois students and veterans in solar technology. 

Krishnamoorthi has so far won endorsements from Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi,former Senior Advisor to the President, David Axelrod as well as from The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times.

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