Durbin retirement to prompt shakeup in Senate Democratic leadership
CBSN
Washington — Sen. Dick Durbin announced Wednesday he won't seek reelection in 2026, kickstarting a race for his long-held seat representing Illinois — and a broader shakeup of Democratic leadership in the Senate.
Durbin, 80, has served since 2005 as the Democratic whip, the second-ranking position in Democratic leadership. First under former Democratic leader Harry Reid and now under Chuck Schumer, the Illinois Democrat has shepherded the caucus through votes, while being a prominent voice on the leadership team for two decades.
After the 2026 elections, the whip position will be up for grabs. And the announcement has spurred whispers about a possible successor.

We share our planet with maybe 10 million species of plants, animals, birds, fish, fungi and bugs. And to help identify them, millions of people are using a free phone app. "Currently we have about six million people using the platform every month," said Scott Loarie, the executive director of iNaturalist, a nonprofit.

At ski resorts across the West this winter, viral images showed chairlifts idling over brown terrain in places normally renowned for their frosty appeal. Iconic mountain towns like Aspen, Colorado, and Park City, Utah, were seen with shockingly bare slopes, as the region endured a historic snow drought that experts warn could bring water shortages and wildfires in the months ahead. In:











