At age 80, Durbin still not ruling out another re-election run

Is Dick Durbin announcing whether he’s running for reelection?

Not this week, the state’s senior U.S. senator told reporters in his hometown of East St. Louis on Monday.

Illinois Democrats are eagerly awaiting Durbin’s decision, but it’s not clear when the second-highest ranking Senate Democrat will decide if he will run for a sixth term.

Despite earlier speculation that Durbin might decide this week to coincide with a 2026 pre-slating process in Cook County, Durbin said Monday that has no influence on his decision.  

Durbin has maintained a vigorous travel schedule throughout Illinois during the Senate’s weeks off. This week he discussed cuts to food programs in East St. Louis and taxes in Springfield.

Some of the state’s top Democrats are watching Durbin to see when he might announce his plans. If reelected next year, he would be 88 years-old by the end of his term. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi are believed to be waiting to step into the race if Durbin retires.  

Krishnamoorthi has raised millions of dollars while Underwood conducted polling in recent weeks showing she’s a top candidate for the job. Stratton has held her own fundraisers and has been working to boost her public profile alongside Gov. JB Pritzker in recent months.  

Durbin’s fundraising, on the other hand, has stalled. According to Politico, he raised just $42,695 in the first three months of this year and has $1.6 million on hand, almost $1 million less than he had available before his last re-election bid in 2020.

“We have a strong Democratic bench,” Durbin said Tuesday in Springfield. “I could list all of them that have expressed to be privately or publicly that they might be interested in serving in the Senate someday. So I have no doubt that there’s a strong bench if the vacancy is there.”