Dick Durbin

Dick Durbin
Senate Minority Whip
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Leader	Chuck Schumer
Preceded by	John Thune
Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Lindsey Graham
Senate Majority Whip
In office January 20, 2021 – January 3, 2025
Leader	Chuck Schumer
Preceded by	John Thune
Succeeded by	John Barrasso
Party positions 2005–⁠2021 Senate Majority Whip In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2015 Leader Harry Reid Preceded by Mitch McConnell Succeeded by John Cornyn Senate Minority Whip In office January 3, 2015 – January 20, 2021 Leader Harry Reid Chuck Schumer Preceded by John Cornyn Succeeded by John Thune In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007 Leader Harry Reid Preceded by Harry Reid Succeeded by Trent Lott
Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee
In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Lindsey Graham
Succeeded by	Chuck Grassley
United States Senator from Illinois
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1997 Serving with Tammy Duckworth
Preceded by	Paul Simon
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 20th district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Paul Findley
Succeeded by	John Shimkus
Personal details
Born	Richard Joseph Durbin (1944-11-21) November 21, 1944 (age 80) East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Loretta Schaefer ​ (m. 1967)​
Children	3[note 1]
Residence	Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
Education	Georgetown University (BS, JD)
Signature
Website	Senate website
Durbin's voice Durbin supporting the DREAM Act Recorded December 18, 2010

Richard Joseph "Dick" Durbin (born November 21, 1944) is the senior United States Senator from Illinois. He is also the Senate Minority Whip, the second highest position in the Democratic Party leadership in the Senate.

Durbin was born on November 21, 1944 in East St. Louis, Illinois.^[2] He graduated from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Georgetown University Law Center. Durbin is married to Loretta Schaefer. They had three children. In 2008, their daughter died from heart problems.^[3]

Working in state legal counsel throughout the 1970s, he made an unsuccessful run for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 1978. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, representing the Springfield-based 20th congressional district.

In 1996 he won election to the U.S. Senate by an unexpected 15 points. He became the Senate Democratic Whip in 2005. From January 3, 2007 to January 3, 2015, he was the Senate Majority Whip because his party had the majority.

Durbin is the only the fifth United States senator from Illinois to serve the position of United States Senate Minority Whip.^[4]

1. ↑ "Sen. Dick Durbin's daughter dies". CNN. 2008-11-01. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
2. ↑ "Senator Dick Durbin - Biography - Project Vote Smart". Votesmart.org. 1944-11-21. Archived from the original on 2011-10-26. Retrieved 2012-09-15.
3. ↑ "Sen. Durbin's eldest daughter, Christine, dies". www.chicagotribune.com. November 1, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
4. ↑ "Dick Durbin info". Durbin.senate.gov. Retrieved 9 August 2013.