Longtime Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin will not seek re-election in 2026
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in 2026, ending his decadeslong career in Congress.
The decision from Durbin, who is the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate and the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, will open up a leadership position on the chamber and is expected to set off a competitive primary for his seat in solidly blue Illinois.
“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,” he said in a statement Wednesday and video posted to social media. “So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term.”
Durbin, 80, is tied for the fifth-most senior member of the Senate, having been elected in 1996. Prior to that, Durbin represented Illinois in the House for 14 years.
His decision to step aside creates a vacancy that Illinois Democrats will likely scramble to fill, with a deep bench of federal and local lawmakers who could be contenders for the seat.
A progressive group, 314 Action, recently released a hypothetical poll testing a possible Democratic primary field that included Reps. Lauren Underwood, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, as well as Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. The group, which supports candidates from science and technology backgrounds, has backed Underwood in the past.
Adding to the uncertainty, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker hasn’t confirmed whether he plans to run for re-election as he continues to focus heavily on countering President Donald Trump. If he decides to leave the governor’s mansion ahead of a possible presidential bid in 2028, it’s possible that open seat could draw significant interest, too.
Durbin’s seat is expected to remain in Democratic hands, even though Trump made gains in the state in November. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois by 11 percentage points, with 54% of the vote.
Senate Democrats praised Durbin’s congressional career.
“For more than four decades, Senator Dick Durbin has been “a pillar of leadership, integrity, and unwavering dedication to the people of his home state of Illinois and the nation,” Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, a leadership member, said in a statement.
