* The Tribune had the unsurprising scoop…
Dick Durbin, Illinois’ senior U.S. senator and the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, is telling top Democrats he will seek a fourth term in 2014, sources familiar with his decision said Friday.
Durbin’s re-election bid alleviates any concerns from Democrats nationally and in Illinois that the 68-year-old lawmaker would step down from the seat previously held by his mentor, the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon. […]
In 2010, Durbin underwent surgery to remove a non-cancerous mass from his stomach.
Durbin easily won re-election in 2008, scoring 68 percent of the vote against little-known Republican physician Steve Sauerberg.
It is questionable whether the GOP will try to recruit a high-profile candidate for a tough race against Durbin in 2014 when Republicans have been placing a greater priority on winning the Illinois governor’s office back from Democrats.
Weeks ago, I told subscribers that Durbin had zero interest in an Obama cabinet position. That decision seemed to point to another run.
* Lynn Sweet…
Durbin is in absolutely no rush to make any official announcement and his core supporters have understood for some time that he will seek re-election, I’m told.
Durbin has held more than 20 fund-raisers since November and as of Dec. 31 had $2,590,707 cash-on-hand in his campaign fund.
Starting in early April, Durbin will step up his political travel, I’m told, speaking around the country for other Democrats and for himself. […]
Durbin has no opponent on the horizon–either for a Democratic primary or a Republican. Illinois Republicans who are looking for statewide races are far more interested so far in running for governor.
LIVE session coverage...
- Knome Sane - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 8:35 am:
Yawn….did I miss something in the hour of sleep I lost this weekend?
- Cassiopeia - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 8:45 am:
Durbin is what is wrong in Washington. He has become a progress obstruction.
- Montrose - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 8:55 am:
“Durbin is what is wrong in Washington. He has become a progress obstruction.”
I have to say, I cannot disagree with this more. Durbin is one of the few able and willing to work with folks on the other side of the aisle. For every Durbin we lose, we end up with someone like Rand Paul or Ted Cruz. We need more Durbins.
- Keep Calm and Carry On - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:05 am:
It was interesting to see Durbin defending the President’s ability to use drones on American citizens during Paul’s filibuster.
“Vote Durbin… or ‘Reap’ the consequences!”
- Slick Willy - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:20 am:
***Durbin is one of the few able and willing to work with folks on the other side of the aisle.***
I find this curious. I view Durbin and an “ultra-liberal” hack that toes the party line and has never really done anything meaningful in DC. Can you give me a real example where Durbin stepped in and served as a bridge across the aisle? Serious question.
- dave - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:25 am:
@Slick Willy - immigration, debt ceiling would be two very obvious and public examples.
- Boone Logan Square - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:27 am:
Glad his health and family allow us to get to vote for him again.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:39 am:
What cabinet post would he have wanted? There’s only a few good ones.
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:41 am:
oh, terrific. A New Face for Illinois
- evil t - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:42 am:
IMO, the sooner he is gone the better…
- NW Illinois - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:43 am:
Senator Durbin has worked time and time again to reach across the aisle to move legislation forward. I agree with the commenter that the poison in the US Senate is the poison that comes from Senators like Cruz and Paul, the right-wing idealogues whose politics is built on polarizing media stunts instead of compromising government actions.
Dick Durbin fights hard on issues, but does not personalize the process. I wish he could hopscotch over Harry Reid, though, because I find him ineffective at leading the Senate.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 9:50 am:
This will satisfy anyone who believes that change should be avoided at all costs in the 21st Century. Status quo is fine even when it isn’t.
Yeah for old people who still believe in the New Deal like our old friend Dick.
- Jack - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 10:05 am:
Durbin and Kirk seem more interested in their parties’ agendas than in representing the state of Illinois.
- Frank - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 10:12 am:
Well I can say I really think we need a leader like Rand Paul in Illinois. Agree he is Right-Wing, however, we are being controlled currently by the Left-Wing. Maybe Washington can encourage all states, I am currently focusing on Illinois, to get their own credit in line before we try and manage Washington. How proud can we be of our current status of debt? How proud can we be of the crime in Illinois? How proud can we be of our image of corruption. Please understand I know it is on both sides of the aisle not just one. Illinois has major problems to fix and I think a clean sweep of all status quo representatives need to be replaced. I think it is natural to want calm waters. We need drastic waves to fix this erosion that is occurring.
- Political Outsider - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 10:20 am:
@Frank - If you want a leader like Rand Paul in Illinois, our state is in much more trouble than we’d previously thought. Also, Durbin isn’t going to be able to address the crime and debt in IL by himself. For those issues, your attention should be directed at the General Assembly, not Washington.
- Aldyth - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 10:43 am:
It would be great to see Durbin get his chance at Senate Majority Leader. Harry Reid hasn’t done the job well in years. His failure to reform the filibuster in any meaningful way when he had the chance shows what a poor job he’s done.
- BleugrassBoy - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 10:59 am:
It would be a shame to see him leave the Senate when they’re getting so much accomplished.
- Bigtwich - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 11:04 am:
I am not sure you can say Durbin was defending the President’s ability to use drones when he ended up saying, “I stand with the senator. “I think it is a legitimate question.”
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 11:44 am:
===Yeah for old people who still believe in the New Deal like our old friend Dick.===
Amen VMan.
Before the New Deal we had only the old deal: economic Darwinsim, where only the strong survived. Thanks to Roosevelt’s progressive policies, we now have a safety net that provides for the least among us. And thanks to Johnson’s expansion with Medicare, seniors can live independently with dignity.
Thank God we have leaders like Dick Durbin to understand that we can’t go backward. And don’t forget, Durbin is one of a few Senators willing to look at ways we can strengthen the long-term sustainability of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. That will involve some cuts and some increased taxes, but it will keep these programs intact for future generations who deserve no less.
Durbin will be in the Senate for as long as he wants and Illinois is lucky to have him there.
- Formerly Known As... - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 12:25 pm:
To be fair, I am not sure you can say Durbin was supporting Paul when he killed the vote on a non-binding resolution that would have ended the filibuster.
Washington Post: “Just after 7 p.m., Paul asked for Democrats to consent to vote on a non-binding resolution that would express opposition to the drone killings of American citizens on American soil. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) rejected it, promising a committee hearing on drone strikes instead, and Paul continued his filibuster.”
Roll Call: ““What we’re talking about is a resolution that says, what we have been trying to get the president to say, is you can’t kill noncombatants. You can’t kill people in a cafe in Seattle,” Paul said on the floor. “That’s what we’re asking. It is blatantly unconstitutional to kill noncombatants. I can’t understand why we couldn’t get a resolution.”
Before objecting to moving forward on the resolution, Durbin pledged to hold a hearing on constitutional issues related to the drone program. Durbin chairs the subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee responsible for tackling constitutional questions.
Paul did not believe a hearing would be sufficient, noting that lawmakers often hold hearings as a way of forestalling actions on contentious policy questions. While he may never get the level of detail he seeks from Brennan, the Justice Department or the White House, he should have the bargaining power to get his vote.”
- walkinfool - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 3:54 pm:
Durbin’s a first-class human being.
- RNUG - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 5:43 pm:
I’ve known him for a long time and I don’t like him, either politically or personally.
But I have to give Senator Durbin his due. I respect his political skills. He knows how to provide constituent services. He knows how to cut deals. He knows (or at least used to) how to bring home the bacon for Illinois. He can get things done. I do think he has spent too much time the past 10 years pushing the national party line partly to the detriment of Illinois.
- Just The Way It Is One - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 5:50 pm:
No shock here–I only wonder if he decides to give somebody else a chance in six years, once he’s turned 75…
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 6:16 pm:
–Yeah for old people who still believe in the New Deal like our old friend Dick.–
Sorry to see that he’s holding back a risk-taking, private sector, free-market titan like yourself.
Some days, when you leave your government job at the library, with your collectively-bargained pension awaiting you, maybe you should check out a few books and read them. Or have someone read them to you.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 11, 13 @ 6:51 pm:
–Durbin and Kirk seem more interested in their parties’ agendas than in representing the state of Illinois.–
I don’t that’s right. Durbin certainly brings home the bacon. And he reaches across the aisle to work with anyone on any issue, though it rarely goes anywhere.
Kirk has been working on a bipartisan basis on guns and financial reform.
Given the makeup of the Senate, I think Illinois ls at the top the list as far as Senators.
Remember, you have to deal with Senators from the South and Plains. And they’re more than happy to let the rich states pick up the tab in federal spending and benefits for their low-wage economies.
Then you have chowderheads like Sen. Johnson from Wisconsin. He was on “Morning Joe” today and the guy babbled right-wing nonsense like he had a head injury.
“You can’t have Obamacare because it increases the insured by 30 million. And it will cut Medicare. And it will mean rationed care, because people who don’t have insurance now will have it. And it will cut Medicare.”
It was like the guy was in a car accident before the show.