Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, announced Wednesday that he will step down from his position in November.
McConnell, who turned 82 last week, announced his decision in the well of the Senate shortly after noon.
“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.”
McConnell, who has served in his leadership position since 2015, stated that he is “not going anywhere,” and would finish his current senate term, which ends in January 2027.
“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’ve become accustomed,” he said.
“As I have been thinking about when I would deliver some news to the Senate, I always imagined a moment when I had total clarity and peace about the sunset of my work,” McConnell said on the Senate floor. “A moment when I am certain I have helped preserve the ideals I so strongly believe. It arrived today.”
BREAKING!🚨 Turtle head Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell .@LeaderMcConnell announces he is FINALLY STEPPING DOWN from being Senate GOP leader in November.
He also stated is he is “not going anywhere” this is just him stepping down from the leadership role.
“I still have enough… pic.twitter.com/mLjcx0NugG
— The Patriot Voice (@TPV_John) February 28, 2024
McConnell’s departure will set up a leadership election in the GOP conference with a number of likely candidates, most notably longtime Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), who is largely viewed as a moderate cut from the same cloth as McConnell.
Is US Sen @JohnCornyn set up to be the next Republican leader of the US Senate? Last week @JohnnieMo asked him that very question even before we knew about McConnell’s announcement via the AP. pic.twitter.com/Y2iPOGclca
— Jeremy Wallace (@JeremySWallace) February 28, 2024
Online polls, meanwhile, are showing that Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is the people’s favorite for the position.
A new era of Republicans have increasing viewed McConnell’s handling of legislation, including the unpopular border bill and the national security supplemental package, as sharply out of step with their conservative views.
Update:
According to the Federalist’s Sean Davis, Senate insiders are saying McConnell’s surprise announcement today was “a desperate move to retain his grip on power” as fellow Republicans were moving to oust him.
“Even a growing number of moderates were angry at the chaos he was sowing in the conference,” one senior Senate GOP aide allegedly said.
An open rebellion against McConnell was in the works due to his “repeated sabotage of Republican priorities and border inaction,” the aide said.
Others told me McConnell’s move was entirely cynical, and an attempt to cling to power for another 8 months.
Senate insiders tell me McConnell’s surprise announcement is a desperate move to retain his grip on power, as his support within the conference is cratering following his disastrous attempt to rubber stamp Biden’s open borders amnesty policy. Rather than face a formal vote of…
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) February 28, 2024
More:
The House Freedom Caucus is calling on McConnell to step down “IMMEDIATELY.”
Our thoughts are with our Democrat colleagues in the Senate on the retirement of their Co-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (D-Ukraine).
No need to wait till November… Senate Republicans should IMMEDIATELY elect a *Republican* Minority Leader.
— House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) February 28, 2024