Hawaii senator officially throws hat into ring to replace Durbin as Democratic whip

Hawaii Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz on Monday officially declared that he was seeking to replace Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin next year as the party's Senate Whip.

The Illinois Democrat, who is in his fifth term in the upper chamber, announced last week that he will not seek reelection in order to pass the torch to a younger generation. Schatz, who is 52, is favored to replace Durbin in the leadership role.

Schatz already has the support of several prominent Democrats, including New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.

The Hawaii senator, who already serves as the Chief Deputy Whip, said that if he's elected next year after the midterm elections, then he would work to elevate the party and tap people for positions that align with their expertise. 

“Not everybody loves the aspect of politics that occurs on the floor,” Schatz told the Washington Post. “This is where I think I can be most useful. One of my tasks is to make sure that they’re all maximally successful. We’ve got lots of talent."

Schatz is the first Democrat to officially declare his candidacy, but other potential successors include Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar and Washington's Patty Murray.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.