Durbin endorses Schumer for Dem leader

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) will back New York Sen. Charles Schumer as the next Senate Democratic leader.

Durbin, the second-ranking member of the Democratic leadership, told The Washington Post Friday that he would run for reelection to his current post at the end of 2016.

That would allow Schumer, who currently holds the No. 3 spot in the Democratic leadership, to leapfrog him.

{mosads}Durbin told Schumer, “I think you’ve earned this,” according to the Post. He began making calls to colleagues Friday to inform them of his intention to keep his position as whip.

Durbin and Schumer for years shared a row house on Capitol Hill with former Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), but they were at times seen as potential rivals to succeed Reid.

Schumer’s political stock shot up after he helped Democrats capture the Senate in 2006 while serving as Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chairman. He is perceived as more of a centrist than Durbin, especially on regulatory issues affecting the financial services industry.

Durbin praised Schumer Friday as “a pragmatist” who “listens closely to his caucus.”

Senate Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray (Wash.), who ranks fourth in the leadership, has yet to say whether she will try to move up the ladder.

She could opt to challenge Schumer or Durbin, or run for the Democratic Policy and Communications Center (DPCC) chairmanship Schumer would vacate at the end of the 114th Congress.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) is the vice chairwoman of the DPCC and also has a shot at replacing Schumer as chairman.

Updated at 4:33 p.m.