As Democrats take control of the Senate few, if any, have it better than Illinois Senator Dick Durbin. In addition to being number two in the leadership behind Harry Reid in Washington, Durbin is surrounded by powerful allies at home and thanks to the utter and complete futility of the Illinois Republican Party, he's unlikely to face more than a mere annoyance on his way to reelection in 2008.

Yesterday Mark Kirk of the 10th Congressional district, seen by many as the Republicans' best hope of offering Durbin a challenge in 2008, made it clear he's not gonna run. The GOP bench in Illinois is so weak there's not a single person who comes to mind (with the possible exception of Jim Edgar, who won't run) who can put up a legitimate challenge to Durbin.

So Durbin can settle in comfortably through 2014 and work to preserve a Dem majority. The only way it could get better for him, of course, is to get a Democratic President in 2008 - especially one that hails from Illinois.