Mitch McConnell to step down as Senate Republican leader
ByTheresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Sen. Mitch McConnell FILE PHOTO: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) heads to his office in the U.S. Capitol building on February 11, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
ByTheresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history, announced Wednesday that he plans to step down from his role as leader of Republicans in the chamber come November.
The 82-year-old lawmaker from Kentucky shared his decision in the well of the Senate on Wednesday afternoon. News of his remarks were initially reported by The Associated Press.
“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” he said. “So I stand before you today ... to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”
Sen. McConnell: This will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I'll complete my job my colleagues have given me to do until we select a new leader in November...I'll finish my job the people of Kentucky hired me to do as well. pic.twitter.com/9ywtErIZ7M
McConnell said he will continue to represent Kentucky in the Senate, “albeit from a different seat.”
“I’m actually looking forward to that,” he said. Later, he added, “I still have enough gas in my tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm with which they have become accustomed.”
McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and became leader of the Republican conference in 2007 after four years in the GOP’s No. 2 leadership position. Last year, he became the longest-serving party leader in the chamber’s history.
“I’m no longer the young man sitting in the back hoping colleagues would remember my name,” he said Wednesday. “It’s time for the next generation of leadership.”
It was not immediately clear who might succeed McConnell. Last year, The New York Times reported that Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming were top contenders.
Aides told the AP that McConnell’s decision to step down was unrelated to his health. Concerns swirled after he twice appeared to freeze in the middle of speaking last year and after he fell in March, suffering a concussion and a rib fracture.
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Through the years Sen. Mitch McConnell speaks at microphone during a gathering of Republican Party women candidates, Washington DC, June 1992. (Photo by Laura Patterson/CQ Roll Call Collection/PhotoQuest/Getty Images) (PhotoQuest/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON - JULY 02: U.S. Senate Majority Whip Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (L) speaks as Chairman of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) (R) listens during a taping of "Meet the Press" at the NBC studios July 2, 2006 in Washington, DC. McConnell and Schumer discussed various topics including the war on terrorism and the mid-term elections in 2006. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press) (Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press)
Through the years WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 02: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) holds a weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol October 2, 2009 in Washington, DC. McConnell said that the proposed health care legislation will hurt Medicare. He emphasized that the Democrats control both houses of Congress together with the White House. McConnell deduced that health care reform would therefore not be sunk through the Republican party. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 21: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), with a copy of the Senate's health care reform legislation in front of him, holds a news conference regarding the bill on Capitol Hill on November 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. The Senate is expected to cast a procedural vote on the measure later today after Senate Democrats said they secured enough votes needed to propel major health care legislation to the floor for debate. (Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images) (Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 16: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) holds a press conference on health care at the U.S. Capitol December 16, 2009 in Washington, DC. McConnell indicated Republicans are united in their opposition to the proposed healthcare legislation before the U.S. Senate. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 25: (AFP OUT) Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (R) speaks to a member of the media after U.S. President Barack Obama hosted a meeting at the Blair House on February 25, 2010 in Washington, DC. Obama hosted the televised bipartisan meeting to discuss the health care legislation reform before the congress. (Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo-Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON - AUGUST 4: Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) listens during a press conference on Capitol Hill August 4, 2010 in Washington, DC. McConnell was joined by other Republicans and small business owners to speak about tax legislation and small businesses. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images) (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) answers reporters' questions during a news conference in the U.S. Capitol January 6, 2011 in Washington, DC. McConnell and the Senate Republican leaders talked to reporters about the Senate Republican Annual Issues meeting that was held behind closed doors at the Library of Congress. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 10: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), speaks at the Conservative Political Action conference (CPAC), on February 10, 2011 in Washington, DC. The CPAC annual gathering is a project of the American Conservative Union. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 27: U.S. Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) answers reporters' questions during his weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol May 27, 2011 in Washington, DC. McConnell said everything is still on the table in budget negotiations and that Medicare reform must be a part of any bipartisan agreement. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 24: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) walk to a lunch with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill, October 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Trump joined the senators to talk about upcoming legislation, including the proposed GOP tax cuts and reform. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 11: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (C) (R-KY) takes the podium before speaking following a weekly policy luncheon at the Capitol Building on December 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. At right is Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX). (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images) (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 25: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivers remarks during the Weekly Senate Policy Luncheon Press Conference on June 25, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images) (Tom Brenner/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 05: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) holds a press conference after the Senate voted to acquit President Donald Trump on the two articles of impeachment on Capitol Hill on February 5, 2020 in Washington, DC. After the House impeached Trump last year, the Senate tried him on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 10: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks to reporters following the Senate Republican policy luncheon which both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence attended on March 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. Lawmakers focused on the spread of the coronavirus and the state of the economy as markets react to the virus during the luncheon. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Through the years LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 03: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), delivers his victory speech next to his wife, Elaine Chao, at the Omni Louisville Hotel on November 3, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. McConnell has reportedly defeated his opponent, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Amy McGrath, marking his seventh consecutive U.S. Senate win. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images) (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 26: (L-R) Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) reaches out to help Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after McConnell froze and stopped talking at the microphone during a news conference after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on July 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. Also pictured, L-R, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA). McConnell was escorted back to his office and later returned to the news conference and answered questions. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 12: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) walks with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (L) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol to meet with Congressional leadership on December 12, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Zelensky is meeting with President Biden and Congressional leaders to make an in-person case for continuing military aid as the country runs out of money for Ukraine's war against Russia. The meetings come days after the Senate failed to advance President Biden's national security package that included aid to Ukraine. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 08: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) arrives for a Senate Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol on February 08, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Senate continues to negotiate a Ukraine and Israel aid only bill after a security supplemental bill that included foreign aid and money for border security failed to advance. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
