Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the influential No. 2 Democrat in the Senate and the longest-serving whip in the chamber’s history, announced on Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, concluding a remarkable 44-year career in Congress.
Durbin, 80, has been a fixture in Washington, first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982 where he served seven terms. He transitioned to the Senate in 1996, succeeding his mentor, Paul Simon. His retirement, while widely anticipated, marks the end of an era for Illinois Democrats and the Senate leadership.
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Explaining his decision, Durbin emphasized a desire to pass the torch.
“I have to be honest about this. There are good people in the wings, good people on the bench ready to serve, and they can fight this fight just as effectively as I can,” Durbin stated in an interview with the New York Times. “There comes a point where you have to face reality that this is the time to leave for me.”
Since 2005, Durbin has been consistently chosen by his colleagues as the Democratic whip, holding the crucial No. 2 leadership post for two decades – longer than anyone in U.S. history. He currently serves as the ranking member of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee and holds seats on the Appropriations and Agriculture committees.
Throughout his career, Durbin has been known for his reliably liberal stance, ranked by Govtrack in 2024 as the Senate’s 14th most liberal member. He played a significant role in mentoring fellow Illinoisan Barack Obama during his early Senate years before Obama’s presidential election.
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Among his notable legislative accomplishments is the pioneering effort to ban smoking on commercial flights. Motivated by his father’s death from lung cancer, Durbin successfully sponsored legislation in 1987 banning smoking on short flights, expanding it two years later to cover nearly all domestic routes.
Durbin is the fourth Senate Democrat to announce retirement ahead of the 2026 election cycle. His departure is expected to trigger a competitive Democratic primary in Illinois as potential successors vie for the open seat.
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