At the age of 80, Dick Durbin, United States Senator, has announced he will be retiring as of next year. In a surprising turn of events, Durbin today said that he will not be running for the re-election coming up in 2026, which means he has officially announced his plans to leave the U.S. government as a Senator.
Many did not expect this, but given his age and contribution, he now finds himself ready to “pass the torch”, as he said in a statement. This announcement has also created uncertainty within the government, as there is no clear indication of who would be taking Durbin’s seat next year when he does not run for re-election.
Dick Durbin’s Four-Decade Career in Congress
Dick Durbin has been in the U.S. Congress for more than four decades. However, his career climbed significantly when he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996. He was re-elected for this position in 2002, then again multiple times in the coming years. This includes 2008, 2014, and recently in 2020.
Dick has been serving under Harry Reid up until the year 2017, after which he began serving as the Senate Democratic whipe under Chuck Shumer. This means he has held a position that is the second-highest in ranking within Senate Democrats. Apart from these achievements, Durbin is also the 47th United States Senator from Illinois. He currently continues to serve as the senior senator for the State of Illinois.
Dick Durbin Not Running For Re-Election in 2026
Next year marks another time when the election for Dick Durbin’s seat as Senator is open. He has won this position continuously over the last couple of elections, but has now officially announced that he will not run for re-election in 2026. This follows several alarming moves from the United States President Donald Trump, who was even sued by California for the ridiculous tariffs he imposed over the last couple of weeks.
Dick Durbin is 80 years old this year and he has provided official statements declaring why he has made this position. His age could be a factor, particularly given the fact that he has to make several round trips between Illinois and Washington. He is a father to two children and a married man. Spending time with his family could become a priority.
His health has also been in question over the last couple of years. At the age of 79, just one year ago, news made headlines when it was announced that Dick Durbin had to undergo a hip replacement procedure. In an official statement, Durbin said that he feels in his heart that it is now his time to pass the torch.
314 Action has since created a hypothetical poll to see who might be the potential next candidate for the Senator’s seat. They added Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, Robin Kelly, Reps. Lauren Underwood and Raja Krishnamoorthi are added to the list. Underwood has currently won by several points above the other hypothetical candidates.
