A giant tree stands tall in the dense forest of Illinois politics. His name is U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
The time when the lumberjack yells “Timber!” is soon approaching. At age 80, Durbin is contemplating running for a sixth term.
Chicago magazine speculated about his replacement more than a year ago and named 10 possible contenders.
Durbin has been a popular liberal senator who I have covered and interviewed over the years. Late last year, he said he would announce his decision “after the first of the year.”
It’s near the end of March. Last week at a news conference, Capitol Fax reporter Isabel Miller asked him when he planned to announce. “Soon,” he replied.
She followed up. “What sort of factors help you make that decision?”
“Whether I’m still physically able, mentally able to deal with the issues,” Durbin said. “This press conference is an indication that I still have my wits about me. And when it comes to the physical side of it, up and moving around, taking nourishment.”
Illinois’ political class is holding its breath.
My bet: Durbin won’t keep the candle lit that much longer. If he runs, he clears the field instantly. No significant Democrat would dare challenge him. If he doesn’t, hordes of ambitious pols will promptly jump into the race.
Unlike many other top statewide elected officials, Durbin is not originally from Chicago. Born in East St. Louis, he was educated in foreign service policy and law at Georgetown University.
Durbin ran unsuccessfully for Illinois lieutenant governor before winning a U.S. House seat in 1982, representing the 20th District based in Springfield.
He once recalled that he co-owned a Springfield bar, the Crows Mill Pub, “in my youth.” It gave him insight into running a small business.
Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, he is known for his longtime advocacy of public policy issues — among them, immigration rights, criminal justice reform and child care for working families.
Some are saying his time is done. Organizers from the Chicago chapter of the Sunrise Movement, a youth group, have scheduled a rally for Thursday in Federal Plaza, demanding that Durbin “step up or step aside.” They “are calling on Senator Durbin to publicly reject billionaire handouts, meaningfully oppose the MAGA agenda, and stand with his constituents or retire,” according to their news release.
If he steps aside, hold tight for one of the most contentious primary contests ever.
Leading the pack of Senate wannabes is U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who’s been cranking up for a run since he was a political pup. He has represented the northwest and western suburban 8th Congressional District since 2017. He was born in New Delhi, India; his family moved to the United States, and he was raised in downstate Peoria. He attended Princeton and Harvard universities, then worked in law and government.
Today, Krishnamoorthi is a proven vote-getter and prodigious fundraiser.
Another formidable contender would be Juliana Stratton, the former state legislator who has been elected twice as Gov. JB Pritzker’s running mate, and it is widely expected that the billionaire governor would back and heavily finance her Senate run. She has been noticeably active at his side of late. Stratton, the first African American woman to become Illinois’ lieutenant governor, grew up on Chicago’s South Side and earned a law degree at DePaul University. She has focused on advancing early childhood education, women’s issues and criminal justice reform.
Another high-profile contender could be Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, a close associate of former President Barack Obama, known as Obama’s “basketball buddy.” In 2006, Giannoulias was elected Illinois state treasurer and later won the Democratic Party nomination for Obama’s former Senate seat. His Senate campaign was overrun by financial allegations surrounding his family’s scandal-plagued Broadway Bank. He lost to then-U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk by two points. In 2022, Giannoulias mounted a political comeback and landed the secretary of state post, often seen as a steppingstone to higher office. He has brought innovative changes and reforms to the office, which he could showcase; however, those achievements might be better suited for a run for Chicago mayor.
Other possibilities include Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood from the 14th District and Robin Kelly from the 2nd District.
In staunchly blue Illinois, the winner of a 2026 Democratic primary would be heavily favored in the November election, but you can be sure that a prominent GOPer will reach for a bid.
U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood may be looking at the Republican nomination. The former federal prosecutor based in Peoria was elected to Congress in 2015 and previously served in the Illinois Senate. LaHood, known as a moderate, has recently been under fire over President Donald Trump’s federal shakeup.
Dozens of protesters assembled outside LaHood’s district office in Rockford last month to slam him for “enabling” Trump, WIFR-Ch. 23 in Rockford reported. He is not doing enough, as one protester put it, to “defend democracy.” In Illinois, a pro-Trump stance could be politically deadly.
It’s time for the next generation to stand tall. That time is telling Durbin to call it quits.
Laura Washington is a political commentator and longtime Chicago journalist. Her columns appear in the Tribune each Wednesday. Write to her at LauraLauraWashington@gmail.com.
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