Tammy Duckworth wins congressional primary

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Tammy Duckworth, then Veterans Affairs assistant secretary in this 2011 file photo, is escorted by Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Darryll D.M. Wong, left, and Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

CHICAGO >> Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth has won the Democratic nomination for Congress over a former state deputy treasurer in Chicago's northwest suburbs.

Duckworth had declared herself the winner of Tuesday's primary after Raja Krishnamoorthi called to concede.

Duckworth will run against outspoken Republican Congressman Joe Walsh.

The Democratic primary in 8th Congressional District, which spans several northwest suburbs, was aggressive. Both candidates raised more than $1 million during the campaign season.

But Duckworth had backing from the Democratic establishment, including an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. She was most recently the former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the Obama administration.

Duckworth, 43, has roots in Hawaii. She graduated from McKinley High School in 1985 and received her undergraduate degree from University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her mother lives in Mililani.

The only time she ran for office, Duckworth lost a close race for an Illinois congressional seat in the 2006 general election to the Republican candidate.

Krishnamoorthi is a lawyer and engineer who runs a research and development firm in Bolingbrook.