Wednesday, 30 April 2025

Second-Highest Senate Democrat To Retire – “It’s Time To Pass The Torch”

100 Percent Fed Up
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Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in 2026.

Durbin, the Senate minority whip, holds the second-highest position in the Democratic caucus.

“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. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term,” Durbin said.

WATCH:

NBC News reports:

Durbin, 80, is tied for the fifth-most senior member of the Senate, having taken office after his victory in the 1996.

His decision to step aside leaves creates a vacancy that Illinois Democrats will likely scramble to fill in the deep-blue state, as the state has a deep bench of federal and local lawmakers who might want to seek a promotion.

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. Governor Juliana Stratton. The group, which supports candidates from science and technology backgrounds, has backed Underwood in the past.

Adding to uncertainty about the field, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker hasn’t confirmed whether he plans to run for re-election as he continues to focus heavily on countering former President Donald Trump. If he decides to step aside from 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 President Donald Trump made gains in the state in November. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois by 11 percentage points, winning 54% of the vote.

Per WBEZ:

A major reason for his decision boiled down to one thing: his age. By the time a sixth term would end, Durbin would be 88.

“It’s time,” Illinois’ 80-year-old senior senator said. “You observe your colleagues and watch what happens. For some of them, there’s this miraculous aging process where they never seem to get too old.

“Take Bernie Sanders, for example, who’s older than myself, or Chuck Grassley, who still does a town meeting in every county of the state each year,” he continued, referring to Vermont’s octogenarian independent U.S. senator and to Iowa’s nonagenarian Republican senator, who both are older than Durbin.

“But for a number of other people, they’re not so lucky,” he continued. “So, you watch aging, and I try to gauge it to the point where I can walk out the front door. I don’t have to be carried out. I feel that way now. I’m physically and mentally strong. But I don’t want to wait too long and test fate.”

Durbin had kept a tight lid on his decision, sharing news with a very close circle of friends. Durbin notified his staff Wednesday morning that he would not be seeking re-election.


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