Longtime Democrat Senator Will Not Seek Reelection

Democrat Illinois Sen. Richard “Dick” Durbin will not seek reelection. He has been in Congress for 44 years. 

Durbin, 80, posted a video announcement about his decision titled "Time to Pass the Torch" on X.

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. pic.twitter.com/eiBTPjToFT

— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) April 23, 2025

Durbin opened up about his decision in an interview with The New York Times (via NYT):

In an interview revealing his plans, Mr. Durbin, who is in his fifth Senate term, said it was not an easy choice to step away from his prime perch doing battle with President Trump, whom he considers a dire threat to democracy. He described moments in recent days “where I thought, ‘Man, I don’t want to miss this fight.’”

“But you know,” he continued, “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. There comes a point where you have to face reality that this is the time to leave for me.”

Reportedly, several Democrats from Illinois are interested in running for the open seat. This includes Reps. Lauren Underwood, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Robin Kelly, as well as Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.

The Times noted that Durbin has been an advocate for “Dreamers,” which are DACA recipients. “Dreamers” are people who were brought into the United States illegally as children. 

Durbin entered Congress in 1983, where he defeated an 11-term Republican incumbent. 

In an interview with the Times, Durbin claimed that one of the most important things he accomplished was working to ban smoking on airplanes. 

“That has to be the most significant thing I’ve done in terms of changing America,” Durbin told the outlet.