New blood
By 
Senator Blue Slips will not seek re-election:
Dick Durbin, D-Ill., announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in 2026, ending his decadeslong career in Congress.
The decision from Durbin, who is the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate and the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, will open up a leadership position in the chamber and is expected to set off a competitive primary for his seat in solidly blue Illinois.
“The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch,” he said in a statement and video posted to social media. “So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term.”
In addition to having fallen behind the times in terms of understanding the Republican Party, Durbin is 80. It should be obvious that it’s time to move on, but as we all know too many elite Democrats have not done this.
Elsewhere in Illinois:
Rep. Jan Schakowsky is planning to announce next month she won’t seek reelection after 14 terms in the House and has started informing allies of her retirement decision, according to two people granted anonymity to describe the private conversations.
The veteran Illinois Democrat, 80, confirmed in a statement that an announcement is forthcoming, though she did not say what it would entail: “I’m going to announce my plans on May 5th. Stay tuned,” she said. Schakowsky’s annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch is set for that date in Chicago.
Schakowsky remains a very solid progressive, but again after 14 terms it’s time to move aside for some new talent. One would hope that the Democrats losing two seats in a House with a major-thin margins because two candidates decided to run vanity campaigns despite having terminal illnesses (combined with RBG’s massively consequential blunder, Biden’s indefensible decision to run again, etc.) is finally getting through.
I think Jan Schakowsky has had an excellent and distinguished career and I also think it's important that we do not treat safe seats as something you sit in until you literally die in office— Micah (@rincewind.run) April 23, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Knowing when to quit is underrated.