Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin will not seek reelection next year, he said on Wednesday, setting the stage for a competitive intra-party contest to fill his seat in the Democratic-leaning state of Illinois.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has announced that he will not seek a sixth term in office. Durbin (D-Illinois) was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 and has been reelected four times, most

Senator Richard J. Durbin’s departure will set off a primary for a rare open Senate seat in Illinois and open a top leadership slot. He said it was time to “face reality” and make way for someone new.