Richard Durbin, the current second-highest-ranking Democratic senator in the United States Congress, says he will not seek reelection when his term expires in 2027, ending a 44-year reign in Washington.  

Mr Durbin, 80, made the announcement in a video posted on X on Wednesday, stating he will not contest in the upcoming congressional elections next year, noting that there are many good candidates ready to replace him.  

“I have to be honest about this. There are good people in the wings, good people on the bench ready to serve, and they can fight this fight just as effectively as I can. There comes a point where you have to face reality that this is the time to leave for me,” he said.  

Mr Durbin first entered Congress in 1983 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as the lawmaker representing Illinois’s 20th district — a position he held until 1997.  

In January 1997, he replaced fellow Democrat Paul Simon as one of the two senators from Illinois in the U.S. Senate, where he is currently serving his fifth consecutive term, sitting as the second most senior Democratic senator in Congress.  

Several Illinois Democrats, including Representatives Lauren Underwood, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Robin Kelly, and the Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, Juliana Stratton, have expressed interest in replacing Mr Durbin.  

Meanwhile, Mr  Durbin will remain in office until his current term ends on January 3, 2027.