WASHINGTON AP – Sen. Roland Burris refused to resign on Tuesday, rebuffing a call from the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat who made it clear the embattled Illinois lawmaker has little hope next year of winning the seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

“I told him that under the circumstances, I would resign,” fellow Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Burris. “He said, ‘I’m not going to resign.’”