Scoop: “As if AOC became a senator”: Dick Durbin becomes toxic among Republicans

"Durbin tries to come off as reasonable and moderate. However, his voting record mirrored that of Bernie Sanders or Nancy Pelosi. He literally opposed everything Trump did during his first term..."

Senate Democrats are unsure how to deal with President Donald Trump’s historic return to the White House with a GOP trifecta.

Some Democrats, like Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.), are trying to work with Trump. Fetterman accepted an invitation to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and has already said that he expects to vote for multiple Trump cabinet picks. Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) is taking the opposite approach. One Senate Judiciary committee aide told the Washington Reporter that “Durbin has simply become the resistance senator. He opposes everything President Trump wants to do. He is basically the same thing as if AOC became a senator."

Rumored to be retiring in 2026, Durbin has a long history of opposing Trump. He voted to convict Trump during the 2020 and 2021 impeachments. Durbin also led the effort on the Senate Judiciary Committee to oppose all three of President Trump's nominees to the Supreme Court: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.

When President Trump fired James Comey from the FBI, Senator Durbin invoked the false Russian investigation, and he opposed the firing of Comey.

Durbin also opposed Trump's key legislative measures, including his tax cuts, and railed against Trump's efforts to secure the border. One former senior Senate Republican aide told the Reporter that “Durbin tries to come off as reasonable and moderate. However, his voting record mirrored that of Bernie Sanders or Nancy Pelosi. He literally opposed everything Trump did during his first term in office.”

As Trump prepares to take office again, some Democrats have attempted to find common ground on immigration and economic issues with the incoming administration. Durbin has continued his opposition.

As recently as a few weeks ago, Durbin held a Senate hearing on opposing Trump's immigration policies. “Instead of making a decision to give Trump's nominees an attempt to explain their positions and views at their Senate confirmation hearing, Durbin has decided to already voice opposition,” a senior Republican strategist told the Reporter.

Durbin has also already condemned Trump's nominee for FBI Director, Kash Patel, and Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for Attorney General. A senior Trump transition aide told the Reporter that “Durbin just is not serious. All he wants to do is oppose President Trump's qualified nominees. He is not respecting the advise and consent process, instead he sees the process as oppose and oppose."