Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin retiring, is not going to run for reelection in 2026 at finish of time period | USAEMALL.com

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin announced Wednesday morning he is retiring and will not run for reelection in 2026.

In a video posted to X, Durbin said, “I truly love the job of being a United States senator, but in my heart I know it is time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today I will not be seeking reelection at the end of my term,” Durbin said in a video posted to his social media accounts.

When he finishes his current term, Durbin will be tied with former Illinois Sen. Shelby Collum, who served from 1883 to 1913, as the longest-serving U.S. senator in Illinois history. 

Durbin, 80, expressed his gratitude to the people of Illinois for electing him to the Senate for so many years, and said he was honored by the responsibility bestowed on him. 

“Right now the challenges facing our country are historic and unprecedented,” he continued. “The threats to our democracy and our way of life are very real, 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.”

Durbin called his fellow Illinois senator, Tammy Duckworth, a “trusted friend and effective leader,” and said she will be a “real asset” to the state and the nation as Illinois’ next senior senator. 

Durbin is the senior senator for Illinois. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, filling the seat left vacant by longtime Sen. Paul Simon.

He is the 5th most senior member of the Senate, and also serves at the Senate Democratic Whip, the second-highest ranking position for the party in the Senate. He was first elected to this leadership post by Senate Democrats in 2005, and has been reelected to it every two years since.

Durbin is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Committee and the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. His retirement is expected to serve as the impetus for a broader shakeup of the Democratic Senate leadership.

He introduced the Dream Act, which would give undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and grew up here a path to citizenship, in 2001 alongside Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). He was also a force behind the establishment of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival Program, or DACA, created by President Barack Obama in 2012.

He also championed the First Step Act, which was signed into law by President Trump in 2018, a bipartisan criminal justice bill that reformed sentencing laws and provided more opportunities for incarcerated people to re-enter society upon their release.

Durbin and his wife, Loretta Schaefer Durbin, live in Springfield, Illinois. He has three children – Paul, Jennifer and Christine, his oldest daughter who died in 2008 from complications from a congenital heart condition. 

While no one has officially signaled their intentions to toss their names into the ring for Durbin’s seat, some of the Illinois politicians most often talked about as a potential replacements include 14th District U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and 8th District U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi.  

Colleagues pay tribute to Durbin’s career

A number of legislators took time Wednesday morning to share tributes to Durbin’s long career in politics.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a fellow Democrat, praised Durbin “for his exemplary career of public service as well as the profound and lasting positive impact he’s had on Illinois families and our nation.” He added:

“Known for his legendary work ethic, Senator Durbin has led the fight to expand access to affordable health care, invest in our state’s infrastructure, tackle gun violence, defend Dreamers, improve public health, protect working families, and more. His expert leadership on the Senate Judiciary Committee ensured the confirmation of a record 235 federal judges, shaping the courts and securing our most fundamental American rights for many years to come.”

Speaking at an event in Decatur, Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker honored Durbin, saying, “Let’s all recognize someone serving us for decades in Washington D.C., representing the state of Illinois with enormous integrity and honor, is something we should all appreciate no matter what political party someone belongs to.”

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said Durbin “has given Illinois a lifetime of principled leadership — grounded in decency, driven by purpose, and always guided by the people he served,” and added “Illinois is stronger because of him and the work he’s championed will carry on.”

Rep. Delia Ramirez, a colleague and fellow Democrat, called Durbin a “trusted leader, a mentor to many, and a champion for working people in Illinois.” 

“As he announces his much-deserved retirement, I am feeling thankful for his work and service to the people of Illinois and our nation,” she wrote. “Thank you, Senator, for the opportunity to learn from you and partner with you on so many important issues. As the proud daughter of immigrants, the spouse of a Dreamer, and the Congresswoman of IL-03, I also extend my deepest gratitude for your unwavering commitment to defending our immigrant communities.” 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson thanked Durbin for “over 40 years of fighting for the people of Illinois.” He called him a “principled and pragmatic leader,” praised his bipartisanship and his work in the senate.

“Time and time again, he delivered real results to the working people of Chicago – investing in our airports and our train stations, defending Dreamers and immigrants, and fighting to end gun violence. He was a champion for young children and early childhood education, and he fought for mental health services for our young people,” Johnson said in a statement. “Our city, our state, and our country are stronger due to his decades of service.”

Former President Barack Obama, who served alongside Durbin in the Senate before his presidential run, also released a statement on the decision, writing, “As an Illinois voter, I couldn’t be prouder that our senator for the last 28 years has been one of the finest in the country. Dick Durbin has always fought the good fight on behalf of working families, and his integrity shines through in everything he does.”

With Durbin vacating his Senate seat, many prominent Democrats are expected to throw their hat in the ring. CBS News Chicago Political Analyst and former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said it’s not impossible that a Republican could win the seat.

“I think that is a very remote possibility, given the nature of electorate here in Illinois, but I will sound a cautionary note. President Trump did very well not only across Illinois south of I-80, but made inroads in Cook County and DuPage County, and quite frankly did better than expected in the city of Chicago,” she said.

Political scientist and professor Stephen Caliendo said November 2026 really isn’t far away, and the race for campaign money has really already started. He believes several members of Congress from Illinois could run, with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi holding a huge fundraising lead, with more than $18 million on hand in his campaign fund.

“He’s been hoarding money for some time, and the others have been in a little bit tighter races for their seats, so they’ve had to spend a little bit more in recent campaigns, but he’s been collecting money and certainly the suggestion would be that he was desiring a higher office,” Caliendo said.

Rep. Lauren Underwood has more than $1 million available in her campaign fund after raising nearly $400,000 between January and March, mostly from individual contributions. Rep. Robin Kelly has more than $2 million I her campaign fund, after raising more than $185,000 between January and March, also nearly all of it from individual contributions.

Stratton also is considered a likely Senate candidate now that Durbin is retiring. She has less than $100,000 in her campaign fund, but can’t use it for a Senate race since the money was raised for a state race, not a federal race. However, she could potentially get significant financial backing from Pritzker, a billionaire who hasn’t been shy about spending big to support political allies.

contributed to this report.