Sen. Dick Durbin, D- Ill., the Senate Democratic whip and the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026.
Durbin, 80, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, made the announcement in a video message on X Wednesday.
“The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy,” Durbin said.
“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.”
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Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is retiring after 30 years of service. The powerful Judiciary Committee chairman will step down at the end of his term. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Durbin becomes the fourth Democrat in the Senate whose term is up at the end of next year who decided against seeking re-election in the 2026 midterms, joining Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Gary Peters of Michigan, and Tina Smith of Minnesota.
Additionally, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, who isn’t up for re-election until 2028, announced last week that he’ll