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Dick DurbinAmerican politician, US Senator from Illinois
Date of Birth: 21.11.1944
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Dick Durbin: A Lifetime in Politics
- U.S. House of Representatives
- U.S. Senate
- Political Positions
- Personal Life
Dick Durbin: A Lifetime in Politics
Early Life, Education, and CareerDick Durbin was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, in 1944 to Irish-American William Durbin and Lithuanian-Jewish Anna Kutkin. He graduated from East St. Louis Senior High School in 1962, where he worked part-time in a meatpacking plant. Durbin earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in 1966, where he interned for Senator Paul Douglas in his senior year. He went on to obtain a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Georgetown University Law School in 1969 and was admitted to the Illinois bar.
After law school, Durbin embarked on a legal career in Springfield, Illinois. He served as legal counsel to Lieutenant Governor Paul Simon from 1969 to 1972, and counsel to the Illinois Senate Judiciary Committee from 1972 to 1982. Durbin unsuccessfully ran for the Illinois Senate in 1976 and for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 1978. Following these defeats, he became an adjunct professor at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and continued his legal practice.
U.S. House of Representatives
In 1982, Durbin won the Democratic nomination for the 20th Congressional District of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives. He upset 22-term Republican incumbent Paul Findley, as a result of redistricting that created a district with a Democratic majority. Durbin campaigned on issues of unemployment and farm distress, stating that his election would be "a message to Washington and to President Reagan that our economic strategies are not working." He was reelected six times with little opposition, receiving over 55% of the vote in all but one election (1994).
U.S. Senate
In 1996, Durbin's longtime friend, Senator Paul Simon, announced his retirement. Durbin ran for his seat, winning the Democratic primary and defeating an Illinois State Representative in the general election by a margin of 15%. He has been reelected in 2002, 2008, and 2014, each time receiving at least 10% more votes than his Republican opponent.
Political Positions
Durbin is one of the most liberal members of Congress. Mother Jones magazine has named him the most liberal senator. His voting record closely follows party lines, and he is known for his advocacy and ability to sway debate. Former Majority Leader Harry Reid once called him "the best debater in the Senate."
Personal Life
Senator Durbin and his wife, Loretta, have two children, Paul and Jennifer. Their third child, Christine, died in infancy due to a heart defect in 2008. The Durbin family resides in Springfield, but they also maintain an apartment in Washington, D.C., where they live during Congressional sessions, along with fellow Democratic politicians Chuck Schumer, George Miller, and Bill Delahunt.
