While the Illinois Senate seat is likely to stay in Democratic hands given the state's leftward tilt, Durbin is the fourth Senate Democrat to announce he would not be running for re-election in 2026. New contenders now stand a chance at an open seat in 2026 in Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Michigan.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D) has announced he will not seek re-election for a sixth term. Durbin, now 80, was first elected to the U.S. House in 1982, and succeeded Paul Simon in the Senate in 1996.

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton announced she will run for U.S. Senate next year on Thursday morning. If she wins the Democratic primary and the subsequent general election, Stratton would be the second Black woman elected to represent Illinois in the Senate.