US Sen. Dick Durbin will not endorse candidate to replace him

​​​​​​​WASHINGTON

Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the US Senate, said Thursday that he will not endorse a candidate to replace him.

"You’ve heard some names already. Believe me, you’re going to hear more because they’ve been calling over the last several months and talking about the fact that they wouldn’t run against me, but they wanted my blessing to run,” the senator from the state of Illinois told reporters.

Durbin, 80, announced Wednesday he will not seek reelection.

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton became the first Democrat on Thursday to announce a bid to fill the seat.

"I’m not planning on endorsing any particular candidate. I hope I don’t have to, but I’m not ruling out the possibility in an extreme case. I just think it’s up to the voters, Democratic voters, to make this choice moving forward," said Durbin.

First elected to the Senate in 1996, Durbin has served in the upper chamber for five terms.

He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1982, representing the Springfield’s 20th district.