Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) still hasn’t announced whether he’ll run for reelection in 2026. But that hasn’t stopped ambitious Illinois Democrats from lining up to replace him.
Publicly, up-and-coming Illinois Democrats are staying mum on Durbin’s future. Privately, they’re jockeying for the upper hand in a potentially brutal primary.
The primary dynamic spilled into the open this week, motivated by the buzz around a poll commissioned by Democratic group 314 Action that excluded Durbin. The poll has Reps. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) in the top tier of contenders with 33% and 30% support respectively, ahead of Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton at 16% and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) at 10%.
It’s important to note that 314 Action, an organization dedicated to electing more science professionals, is lining up behind Underwood, who worked as a nurse before flipping a House seat in 2018.
On the heels of the poll, Underwood’s team sent out a fundraising appeal to donors touting the numbers. “We’re gearing up and getting ready here on the campaign side,” the email said, the clearest indication that Underwood is prepping for a statewide bid.
When we asked Underwood about the Senate race on Tuesday, the fourth-term lawmaker was more circumspect.
“I think Sen. Durbin has had a really remarkable career, and has made us all so proud,” Underwood said. “I hear he’s going to be making an announcement soon.”
Underwood declined to comment on our follow-up question asking if she was going to jump in the race.
Durbin, 80, said in late March that he was weeks away from making a reelection decision. The longtime No. 2 Senate Democrat is expected to align his announcement with the upcoming Senate recess and a critical pre-endorsement process held by Cook County Democrats.
In the meantime, other Illinois Democrats have been waiting in the wings to jump in depending what Durbin says.
It’s an open secret in political circles that Krishnamoorthi, who ended the first quarter with an astounding $19 million on hand, is eyeing a Senate run. “There’s no vacancy,” Krishnamoorthi repeatedly responded to us this week when asked about his plans.
Either way, they likely won’t be the only two in the race for a seat Durbin has held for nearly 30 years. Stratton, the state’s lieutenant governor, has signaled she would be backed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in a Senate primary, Politico reported last month.
And Kelly, a longtime House Democrat who’s served in the House since 2013, is also seriously considering a Senate run if Durbin retires.
