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Could Durbin challenge Rauner in 2018?

May 24, 2016 | WLS-AM Staff

Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., leaves the Senate chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 19, 2016, as the Senate worked on its $1.1 billion plan to combat the Zika virus, setting the stage for difficult negotiations with House Republicans over how much money to devote to fighting the virus and whether to cut Ebola funding to help pay for it. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

By John Dempsey, WLS-AM 890 News

(CHICAGO) There’s a new report that says longtime Illinois Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin could possibly run for Governor in two years.

WTTW Channel Eleven broke the story quoting Democratic party and union sources who say Durbin would be a perfect candidate to challenge Republican Governor Bruce Rauner in 2018.

In a WTTW interview, Durbin did not entirely shoot the idea down, saying “I have a great job to be the senior Senator from this state, to be in Washington and help this state in a lot of different ways. I have no aspirations for any other office and I would beg the people who are doing all the speculation to cool it. Let’s focus on the immediate need to get a state budget.”

However Durbin also criticized Rauner for his role in the current state budget standoff. “I believe this Governor has a passion against labor unions, has a passion about lowering the wages of working people, and I just don’t agree with that approach at all.”

Rauner talked about the rumors this morning on “The Big John Howell show on WLS.

“I don’t pay any attention to rumors, you know, I’m just focused on doin’ my job, and gettin’ our state healthy again.”

Durbin is currently 71 years old but the Channel Eleven report says he’s growing tired of Washington after four terms in the Senate.

Durbin also was passed over for the top Democratic position in the U.S. Senate after Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid announced his retirement.

That job will now go to New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, and there is no guarantee Schumer would back Durbin in an effort by the Senator to keep his current number two position as Senate Democratic whip.

See the WTTW report here.

Durbin “Stunned” on Hastert Indictment

May 29, 2015 | WLS-AM Staff

By Nick Gale, WLS News

(Chicago) U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says he was stunned when he heard that Hastert had been indicted.

Listen to Nick Gale’s story:

“I was stunned when I heard the news,” Durbin said. “I know him, I’ve worked with him, we served together in the Illinois delegation and of course I worked with him when he was speaker. We knew one another and have known one another for many, many years. It was a stunning indictment and revelation. I have not heard his explanation yet and of course I want to but I woke up today and am still shaking my head at the thought that he might be engaged in this sort of activity.”

He says that even though Hastert is innocent until proven guilty, it is still is a black eye on Illinois politics.

“This takes a toll on pub confidence in elected officials across the board, Democrats and Republicans and even though I believe the vast majority of my colleagues in both parties are honest people working hard to serve the public, the continued investigations and indictments and incarcerations of elected officials has got to take its toll on the public confidence of elected officials.”

Durbin spoke during a conference call where he talked about his recent congressional trip to Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland.