McConnell to step down from Senate leadership in November

The announcement marks the beginning of the end of an era in American politics. McConnell has been a towering force over his decades in the Senate, enraging Democrats by reshaping the federal judiciary and later serving as an occasional voice of rebuke to former president Donald Trump, whom he excoriated publicly for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a Feb. 28 speech on the Senate floor that he will step down from his leadership position in November. He added he will serve out the remainder of his term, which ends in 2027.(c) 2024 , The Washington Post

Recently, McConnell has been the loudest voice in his party pushing for the United States to aid Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and has faced sharp criticism from some in his conference more closely aligned with Trump.

McConnell announced his intention to leave his leadership position in an introspective speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, saying it had been a difficult time for his family after the loss of his wife’s younger sister.

“When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there’s a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process,” McConnell said. “Perhaps it is God’s way of reminding you of your own life’s journey, to reprioritize the impact of the world that we will all inevitably leave behind. I turned 82 last week, and the end of my contributions are closer than I’d prefer.”

McConnell recounted the beginning of his congressional career in 1984, at age 42, during the Reagan administration.

“If you would have told me 40 years later that I would stand before you as the longest-serving Senate leader in American history, frankly, I would have thought you’d lost your mind,” he said.

McConnell quoted former president Ronald Reagan in his remarks, saying he believed in Reagan’s vision of America as the “shining city on a hill” that sets the example for other nations. The Kentuckian has spent the past few months locked in a battle with some in his conference to send billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, which is fending off a Russian invasion. The more isolationist wing of the party championed by Trump opposes the aid, and McConnell has painted aiding the U.S. ally in existential terms.

Nonetheless, he said in his speech that he was leaving the chamber with “total clarity and peace” about the role he played furthering his ideals.

“I know the politics within my party at this particular moment in time,” he said. “I have many faults. Misunderstanding politics is not one of them. That said, I believe more strongly than ever that America’s global leadership is essential to preserving the shining city on a hill that Ronald Reagan discussed.”

Senators said they were surprised by the announcement. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) shook McConnell’s hand after the speech, and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) embraced him. Some former and current staff members wept during his remarks.