In Illinois, several Democrats are preparing for a potential candidacy, building their campaign funds ahead of a competitive Democratic primary in the blue state. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Robin Kelly, and Lauren Underwood, as well as Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, are among those considered probable possibilities.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer thanked Durbin in a statement following his announcement, saying that “he’s been a trusted partner, one of the most respected voices in the Senate for decades, my dear friend, and, of course, my former roommate.”
“For more than four decades, Senator Dick Durbin has been a pillar of leadership, integrity, and unwavering dedication to the people of his home state of Illinois and the nation,” Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, a leadership member, said in a statement.
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Durbin is now the fourth Senate Democrat to announce his retirement rather than seek re-election in the 2026 midterms.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire announced her retirement, choosing not to run for re-election.
The announcement by the former governor and three-term senator from a key New England swing state will add to the challenges facing Democrats as they strive to regain Senate control from Republicans in next year’s elections.
National Republicans see opportunities to flip the Senate seat in New Hampshire from blue to red, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee had already run ads targeting Shaheen over her defense of USAID funding that the Trump administration is eliminating.
Last November, Republicans flipped four Democrat-held Senate seats to regain control of the chamber, and they are now aiming to further expand their majority in 2026.
In addition to New Hampshire, the GOP is targeting key battlegrounds such as Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters announced in January that he would not seek re-election.
Georgia is also on their radar, with first-term Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff viewed as vulnerable in another crucial swing state.
Furthermore, Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota announced last month that she would not run for another term in the midterms, fueling GOP hopes of making the blue-leaning state more competitive.
Republicans believe they have the opportunity to flip at least two seats in the 2026 midterms, which could give them an even bigger margin in the Senate if they maintain all of their currently controlled seats.