Senator Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), the second most powerful Senate Democrat, announced Wednesday his decision not to run for another term after nearly three decades in the world’s greatest deliberative body.
Durbin, 80, is ending his Senate career after five terms, the longest tenure of any Senator in Illinois history. His retirement opens up a deep blue seat in 2026 and will create a leadership competition for Senate Democrats amid frustration with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and generational turnover within the party.
“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 in a video shared on X.
“The people of Illinois have honored me with this responsibility longer than anyone elected to the Senate in our state’s history, and I am truly grateful.”
Durbin becomes the latest Senate Democrat to opt out of running for another term, joining the ranks of Senators Gary Peters (Mich.), Tina Smith (Minn.), and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.). Peters’s seat is expected to be one of the most competitive in the 2026 cycle, while Smith, Shaheen, and Durbin’s vacancies are likely to remain in Democratic hands.
For the remainder of his term, Durbin promised to continue his Senate responsibilities and fight for the future of the country. He is currently the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. He also sits on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Durbin oversaw the confirmation of President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Durbin has been Senate Democratic Whip since 2005 and spent his career being a reliably liberal vote for his party’s priorities.
Before his distinguished Senate career, Durbin served Illinois’s 20th congressional district for seven terms after first winning election narrowly in 1982. He was previously a lawyer serving in various government roles and owned a pub in Springfield, Illinois.