Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Depending on whom you ask, Illinois Democrats vary in what they see as U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) ‘s legacy.

Durbin announced Wednesday he will not seek another term.

One of many Illinoisans – especially women – who count Durbin as a mentor, U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield), says Durbin’s local legacy could be that of the railroad relocation project. But Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) says it would be Durbin’s leadership on the Judiciary Committee, followed by his work with then-President Barack Obama on the Affordable Care Act.

“I think it’s going to be very important,” said Welch, noting what he called “erratic leadership out of the White House,” that many of the judges who will “protect us … went through Chairman Durbin’s Judiciary Committee.”

“When I first started working with him, I would say it was banning smoking on airplanes,” said Bill Houlihan, a longtime Durbin aide who is now chairman of the Sangamon County Democratic Party. “That brought more notoriety, not just in his congressional district, but in Illinois and the United States and really changed the landscape of how we dealt with smoking in public places.”

Even though Illinois Republicans have had a difficult time winning statewide elections lately, Welch knows one of them could become the new senator.

“I would never count them out,” said the speaker.

Gov. JB Pritzker said Durbin’s announcement is a moment for us to recognize great public service. “I just feel good as an Illinoisan about the fact that we have somebody like that representing us.”