Dick Durbin

United States Senator from Illinois

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

Dick Durbin
Senate Majority Whip
Assumed office
January 20, 2021
LeaderChuck Schumer
Preceded byJohn Thune
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2015
LeaderHarry Reid
Preceded byMitch McConnell
Succeeded byJohn Cornyn
Senate Minority Whip
In office
January 3, 2015 – January 20, 2021
LeaderHarry Reid
Chuck Schumer
Preceded byJohn Cornyn
Succeeded byJohn Thune
In office
January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007
LeaderHarry Reid
Preceded byHarry Reid
Succeeded byTrent Lott
United States Senator
from Illinois
Assumed office
January 3, 1997
Serving with Tammy Duckworth
Preceded byPaul Simon
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 20th district
In office
January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1997
Preceded byPaul Findley
Succeeded byJohn Shimkus
Personal details
Born
Richard Joseph Durbin

(1944-11-21) November 21, 1944 (age 79)
East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Loretta Schaefer (m. 1967)
Children3
ResidenceSpringfield, Illinois, U.S.
EducationGeorgetown University (BS, JD)
Signature
WebsiteSenate website

Durbin was born on November 21, 1944 in East St. Louis, Illinois.[1] 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.[2]

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.[3]

References change

  1. "Senator Dick Durbin - Biography - Project Vote Smart". Votesmart.org. 1944-11-21. Retrieved 2012-09-15.
  2. "Sen. Durbin's eldest daughter, Christine, dies". www.chicagotribune.com. November 1, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  3. "Dick Durbin info". Durbin.senate.gov. Retrieved 9 August 2013.

Other websites change