Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, an East St. Louis native, announces retirement

Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has announced he will not pursue a sixth term in office, setting the stage for a high-stakes Democratic succession battle in Illinois.

Durbin confirmed on Chicago radio station WBEZ Wednesday that he plans to retire at the end of his current term, which concludes in January 2027.

“I truly love the job of being United State Senator, but in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch,” Durbin said in a social media video.

Durbin’s retirement will end a 44-year congressional career. The East St. Louis native who has lived in Springfield for the last five decades was first elected to the U.S. House in 1982.

Durbin, 80, won election to the U.S. Senate in 1996 to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Paul Simon, to whom Durbin served as legal counsel in the early 1970s when Simon was the state’s lieutenant governor. Durbin has since rose through the ranks of the Senate, chairing the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee and now serving as the No. 2 ranking Democrat in the Senate as minority whip.

“The people of Illinois have honored me with this responsibility longer than anyone elected to the Senate in our state’s history. I’m truly grateful,” Durbin said.

Who will replace Durbin?

Durbin has kept decisions about his political future a closely guarded secret, telling reporters as recently as last week that he has not made any decisions about his future.

In March, Durbin visited the metro-east to meet with Black leaders and warn them to expect reductions in Medicaid benefits and Social Security benefits to pay for Trump administration tax cuts for the wealthy. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat representing the 8th Congressional District near Chicago came with him, fueling suspicions that Durbin planned to yield his Senate seat at the end of his current term.

When asked about it, Durbin said only that he would make a decision after the first of the year.

St. Louis Public Radio has reported that potential candidates include nearly every statewide elected official and about half of the 14 Democrat U.S. representatives from Illinois.

Is Krishnamoorthi one of them?

“There’s no vacancy,” he said, smiling, when asked in March if his visit was laying the groundwork for a Senate campaign.

Durbin’s retirement is expected to set off a flurry of moves by some of the state’s top Democrats who are widely believed to be interested in the seat, including Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Krishnamoorthi and U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood and Robin Kelly.

“We are also fortunate to have a strong Democratic bench ready to serve,” Durbin said. “We need them now more than ever.”

With Durbin stepping aside in 2027, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Hoffman Estates Democrat, will become Illinois’ senior senator.

“It is only because of Dick’s empathy, patience, support and mentorship that I am in the United States Senate today,” Duckworth said in a statement. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to get to work alongside a leader who embodies what it means to be a true public servant.”

Legislative achievements

Under Durbin’s leadership, the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed 235 federal judges, including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. As ranking minority member on the committee, he was also a leading voice opposing three Supreme Court justices nominated during the first Trump administration.

Durbin also carries a long list of legislative accomplishments. As a member of the House, he led legislation signed into law in 1988 banning smoking on some commercial flights. From that point on, Durbin was a leading voice behind legislation regulating smoking in the U.S.

In recent years, Durbin used his position as Judiciary Committee chair to push for legislation to lower prescription drug costs and regulate pharmacy benefit managers, as well as plans to crack down on fees charged by credit card companies.

As the Democratic whip in the Senate since 2005, Durbin played a role in shepherding major bills supported by Democrats through the chamber.

He has also staked out more controversial positions during his career. During his first term in the House, Durbin supported anti-abortion legislation but reversed his position in support of the practice for the remainder of his career. He was also one of just a handful of senators who originally opposed the war in Iraq.

More recently, in March, Durbin voted for a spending plan to keep the government open through September, which angered many Democrats who thought Senate Democrats should force a government shutdown as a roadblock to Trump’s agenda.

Influence and appreciation

Durbin was also instrumental in advancing the political careers of several Illinois Democrats, including pushing another Illinois senator, Barack Obama, to run for president.

“Dick Durbin has always fought the good fight on behalf of working families, and his integrity shines through in everything he does,” Obama said in a statement. “It’s also true that I would not have been a United States Senator – and certainly would not have been President – had it not been for Dick’s support.”

Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement that Durbin has been “a consistent leader and reliable champion” for Illinois.

“The people of Illinois should take great pride having a leader like Dick Durbin represent us in the U.S. Senate,” Pritzker said. “I have been proud to be his partner and am even more proud to call him my friend. He will leave some extraordinary shoes to fill – and has given us all an example of courage and righteousness for the work ahead.”

Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez also released the following statement in reaction Durbin’s retirement:

“For four decades in Congress, Senator Dick Durbin has served Illinois with heart, courage, and conviction. He stood with working families. He defended civil rights. He fought for compassionate immigration policy. He helped shape some of the most important legislation of our time—and through it all, he stayed grounded in the values that define our party and our state.”

This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 11:44 AM.