Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) will not run for a sixth term in the Senate, clearing the way for a younger crop of Democrats to compete for his seat.
Durbin, 80, announced Wednesday that he will retire from the Senate in 2026. The decision had been expected, with the senator raising a paltry $43,000 in the first quarter. But his announcement means Democrats who were previously mounting a shadow primary can now run openly for one of Illinois’s two Senate seats.
It also opens the door to a rare leadership shake-up in the Senate, in which Durbin is the longest-serving party whip after two decades in the role.
“The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch,” Durbin said in a statement on X. “So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term.”
The seat is rated safe for Democrats by nonpartisan election forecasters. More significantly, Durbin’s retirement will reshuffle the chamber’s leadership roster, where Durbin and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have led as the top two Democrats since President Donald Trump first came to power in 2017.
Durbin also serves as the lead Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, creating another opportunity for a colleague to rise up the ranks. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is the next most senior Democrat on the panel.
A wave of Illinois Democrats could mount a bid to replace him as they seek to capitalize on what could be a once-in-a-generation open primary. Those names include state Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Reps. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Robin Kelly (D-IL).
It’s unclear whether Durbin would get involved in what could become a messy primary. His retirement announcement suggested he may remain neutral.
“We’re also fortunate to have a strong Democratic bench ready to serve,” Durbin said. “We need them now more than ever.”
Durbin’s anemic first-quarter fundraising in the lead-up to his decision stood in stark contrast to the war chests already at the disposal of would-be contenders to fill the seat.
Krishnamoorthi raised $3 million in the first three months of the year, giving him $19 million cash on hand that could be used for a Senate run. Stratton has signaled that, should she enter the race, she would receive financial backing from billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) of the Hyatt hotel empire.
ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS WAIT IN THE WINGS FOR DURBIN 2026 ANNOUNCEMENT
Durbin has served in Congress for more than 40 years, since 1983, when he began as a congressman, until his election to the Senate in 1996. He made no explicit mention of Trump or Republicans in his retirement message but made clear the stakes he believes are at play in American politics.
“The threats to our democracy and way of life are very real,” he said. “And I can assure you, I’ll do everything in my power to fight for Illinois and the future of our country every day of my remaining time in the Senate.”
