Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said he will not seek reelection next year, setting the stage for a competitive intra-party contest to fill his seat in the Democratic-leaning state of Illinois. "The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy.

Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) decision not to seek a sixth term in the Senate is expected to tee up a spirited Democratic primary to replace him next year. Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat who has long served as a member of Senate Democratic leadership and is the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee,

The second-ranking Senate Democrat will retire after his decadeslong career representing Illinois in Congress.