Caption by Ashmar Mandou

First elected to the Senate in 1996, Senator Dick Durbin, 80, announced he will not run for re-election in a video message on X Wednesday afternoon. “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. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term,” said Durbin. He played a vital role in helping to pass the First Step Act in 2018. The bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation was signed by President Trump and reduced mandatory minimums for certain nonviolent drug offenses, created early release incentives and improved prison conditions. Durbin also co-authored the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.