US Senator Dick Durbin says he wants the top Democrat spot on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The current Ranking Member is California’s Dianne Feinstein and she will not seek the leadership post in the next session of Congress. That leaves an opening that Durbin is ready to fill.

Senate Democrats almost always follow seniority levels when assigning committee leadership positions. Durbin’s spent 22 years on the committee.

He isn’t without a potential challenger – the Democrat in line after Durbin – Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island has a number of backers.