Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has announced today that he will step down from his position as the Senate’s Republican leader in November.
McConnell, 82, made the announcement in an address to the Senate. He is the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
While he will be stepping down from his leadership position, he intends to retain his Senate seat until his term ends in January of 2027.
McConnell stated,
To serve Kentucky, has been the honor of my life, to lead my Republican colleagues has been the highest privilege.
But one of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter, so I stand before you today, Mr. President and my colleagues, to say this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.
As noted by CNBC, “McConnell twice last summer briefly froze up and was unable to speak to reporters at news conferences. Aides had downplayed both incidents.”