Overview
- Durbin delivered a 23-minute farewell to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly on May 27, 2026, returning to the Springfield Capitol as he prepares to retire at the end of his term next year.
- He warned the November national election could face unprecedented legal challenges and invoked Abraham Lincoln's 1858 House Divided warning to compare today's political splits.
- Durbin used the address to recount signature achievements, including his long-running sponsorship of the Dream Act, his role in banning smoking on domestic flights, and work to block Asian carp from the Great Lakes.
- Lawmakers from both parties rose to praise him with a standing ovation, while members of the far-right Illinois Freedom Caucus skipped the session and conservative groups and lawmakers issued sharp criticisms.
- Durbin remains in office through next year and Republican candidates such as Don Tracy are already campaigning to succeed him, signaling a competitive 2026 Senate contest in Illinois.