Dick Durbin, No. 2 Senate Democrat, won't seek re-election

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. 

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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)

"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."

H⁠⁠e was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and served seven terms before succeeding his mentor, Paul Simon, in the Senate in 1996.

Durbin is a longtime advocate for immigration reform and the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

He also advocates for stricter gun laws and supports the Affordable Care Act.

Durbin represents Illinois, a solidly Democratic state. His retirement is expected to set off a set off a flurry of activity among a scrum of would-be successors, both Democratic and Republican. However, the GOP has only captured a Senate seat just twice for six-year terms since 1984.

Durbin's career to date in Congress was hailed by fellow Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on, Oct. 14, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool) (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)

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"Dick Durbin is, and will always be, a giant of the United States Senate. He has dedicated his life to making our state—as well as our nation—stronger, and we are all better for it," Duckworth said. 

Duckworth also recalled meeting Durbin for the first time weeks after she lost both legs when her Black Hawk helicopter was shot down in Iraq in 2004, noting his empathy and mentorship during her recovery.

"When Dick looked at me, he saw past the wounds, saw past the wheelchair," Duckworth said. "He saw a soldier in search of her next mission. And he recognized well before I did that just because I would no longer be flying Black Hawks for the Army didn’t mean that I couldn’t find a new way to serve my nation."

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.