Senator Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate Republican leader in U.S. history, announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, signaling the end of his influential career as a power broker in Washington.
The Kentucky senator, who turns 83 today, informed The Associated Press of his decision before addressing colleagues on the Senate floor. His retirement will come at the end of his current term, marking the conclusion of a decades-long political journey that saw him shape conservative policies and lead the Senate through some of its most contentious moments.
In his prepared remarks, McConnell reflected on his time in the Senate, noting, “Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate. Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”
McConnell’s decision caps a career defined by his strategic leadership, including his role in confirming a conservative-leaning Supreme Court and navigating battles over tax cuts and impeachment trials. However, his tenure was also marked by his growing challenge in managing the rising populist influence of the GOP under former President Donald Trump.
