U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s announcement Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026 elicited fond remembrances from Senatorial colleagues including Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, as well as murmurs of uncertainty about the leadership of the party — something Schatz himself may help to resolve. 

What You Need To Know

  • The 80-year-old Durbin, the second-most powerful Democrat in the Senate, has served in Congress for 43 years
  • U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, whose national profile has risen in recent months due to his outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump’s policies and directives and his controversial blocking of some 300 Trump nominees in response to the administration’s gutting of key federal agencies, has been broadly identified as a potential successor to Durbin as Democratic whip
  • Political pundits are also predicting a tight race to assume Durbin’s seat in the Senate. The field is projected to include U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton
  • Sen. Mazie Hirono: 'As a member, chair, and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, Dick has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead with compassion for communities in need while forcefully pushing back on policies that will harm and divide our nation'

 

“For more than four decades, Sen. Dick Durbin has been a pillar of leadership, integrity and unwavering dedication to the people of his home state of Illinois and the nation,” said Schatz in a statement released shortly after Durbin’s announcement.

“A titan of the Senate, he has helped improve the lives of Americans everywhere — expanding health research, protecting children from guns and tobacco, battling against predatory lending, building a fairer justice system and fighting to protect DREAMERs."

The 80-year-old Durbin, the second-most powerful Democrat in the Senate, has served in Congress for 43 years. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and served seven terms before succeeding Sen. Paul Simon in the Senate in 1996. He has served as Democratic whip since 2005.

“As Democratic whip, he has played a key role in shaping some of the most significant legislation of our time and has been a fixture of the Senate floor, bringing his brilliant Lincoln-land trial attorney skills to Senate debate,” Schatz said. “Further, his leadership on the Judiciary Committee has been historic, with the confirmation of 235 judges during the Biden administration — the most diverse set of federal judges of any presidency ever.

Schatz, whose national profile has risen in recent months due to his outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump’s policies and directives and his controversial blocking of some 300 Trump nominees in response to the administration’s gutting of key federal agencies, has been broadly identified as a potential successor to Durbin. He currently serves as chief deputy whip.

Other potential successors include Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Cory Booker, D-N.J.

Political pundits are also predicting a tight race to assume Durbin’s seat in the Senate. The field is projected to include U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.

In the meantime, Senate Democrats are relying on Durbin’s continued leadership, even as they reflect on his legacy.

“I have had the honor of working with Dick Durbin through my time in the Senate, not solely in his role as whip, but especially through our time together on the Senate Judiciary Committee,” Hirono said. “As a member, chair, and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, Dick has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead with compassion for communities in need while forcefully pushing back on policies that will harm and divide our nation. His focus on a pathway to citizenship for DREAMERs and on curbing the epidemic of gun violence in this country are just two of the many ways Dick has worked to better his home state of Illinois and our country.

“I’m glad to call Dick a friend, and I look forward to continuing to work with him as we face some of the toughest challenges our nation has faced in recent years,” she said.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.