LT. GOVERNOR JULIANA STRATTON
After 44 years in Congress, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin has decided to retire, setting off a busy but early campaign season for candidates seeking to replace him.
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton is among several candidates seeking to succeed Durbin, who announced this week that he will not seek a sixth term.
In a video message on Wednesday, April 23, Durbin, the Senate Minority Democratic Whip, announced he will not seek re-election in 2026.
“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 seek re-election at the end of my term,” Durbin said in the video statement.
During a sit-down interview with radio station WBEZ, Durbin, 80, said he is retiring because of his age. If he ran again, he would be 88 at the end of a sixth term.
“The people of Illinois have honored me with this responsibility longer than anyone elected to the Senate in our state’s history. I am truly grateful. Right now, the challenges facing our country are historic and unprecedented. The threats to our democracy and way of life are very real, and I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to fight for Illinois and the future of our country every day of my remaining time in the Senate.”
Durbin concluded, “To the Illinoisans who gave this kid from East St. Louis a chance to serve: Thank you for supporting me—through words and actions—over the years. Now that I have this announcement behind me, I need to get back to work.”
Senator Durbin is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois, the state’s senior Senator, and the longest-serving, popularly elected Senator from Illinois. As the Senate Democratic Whip, Durbin holds the second-highest ranked position among Senate Democrats. Durbin has been elected to this leadership post by his Democratic colleagues every two years since 2005 and is the longest-serving Whip for either Party.
Stratton, 59, is among several candidates reportedly seeking to replace Durbin. Several other Illinois Democrats have indicated interest in running for Durbin’s seat, including Representatives Lauren Underwood, 38, Raja Krishnamoorthi, 51, and Robin Kelly, 68.
In January, in anticipation of Durbin’s decision to retire, Stratton launched her Level Up political action committee (PAC) in preparation for running for the U.S. Senate. She made the move in case longtime Illinois Senator Dick Durbin did not run for a sixth term in 2026.
Stratton’s Level Up political action committee is a hybrid PAC that can make direct contributions to a candidate and maintain another account to operate as a super PAC. That campaign can take unlimited donations for independent expenditures to bolster candidates and causes, which could be very helpful in a Senate race.
According to his website, Durbin served as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee for the 117th and 118th Congresses. During his time as Chair, the committee held 145 full committee hearings, 88 subcommittee hearings, and 86 executive business meetings; advanced 373 executive and judicial nominees out of the committee; and reported 56 bills out of the committee. The Senate also confirmed a record 235 judges, including Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Durbin was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, representing the Springfield-based 20th congressional district.
After serving seven House terms, Durbin was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 5, 1996, and re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. Durbin filled the seat left vacant by the retirement of his long-time friend and mentor, U.S. Senator Paul Simon.