When Dick Durbin announced he wouldn’t seek re-election in 2026, Chuck Schumer’s tribute reached past the usual leadership-team language and landed on a memorable note: “my former roommate.” Not a figure of speech. For more than two decades, the two most senior figures in Senate Democratic leadership actually lived together.
The residence was a Capitol Hill rowhouse owned by former Rep. George Miller and shared over the years by a rotating group of Democratic lawmakers. It became well known for its no-frills, lived-in character, from the vintage furniture to the decades-old vinyl records on the shelves, and for the close friendships that developed among its residents. The home became such a recognizable part of Washington political culture that it inspired the Amazon series Alpha House. The shared living arrangement came to an end in 2014 when Miller retired and sold the home.
The Position
Underneath the shared address is a long professional partnership. Schumer has led Senate Democrats since 2017, while Durbin has served as whip since 2005, the longest tenure in Senate history, making him Schumer’s No. 2 for that entire span. Their collaboration has shown up in policy, too: Schumer signed on as a cosponsor of Durbin’s Dream Act across several of its iterations, from the 2011 version through the 2017 bill, part of the long-running effort Durbin has led to create a path to citizenship for Dreamers. The two were once viewed as potential rivals to succeed Harry Reid, but in 2015 they aligned to install Schumer as leader and keep Durbin as whip. Now Durbin’s planned departure opens the whip’s office, and Schumer has endorsed Sen. Brian Schatz to fill it, a succession being organized from the top of the caucus.
.png?upscale=true&width=1196&upscale=true&name=Newsletter%20Banners%20(62).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=1196&upscale=true&name=Newsletter%20Banners%20(70).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=1116&upscale=true&name=Random%20Editing%20(70).png)