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Mitch McConnell announced in a speech that he would give up his top position in the US Senate.
President Biden expressed regret.
Washington – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) plans to step down from his leadership position in November, he announced Wednesday.
This would end his term as the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history.
The announcement marks the beginning of the end of an era in American politics.
McConnell was a towering force during his decades in the Senate.
He angered Democrats by taking a hardline approach to reshaping the federal judiciary and later served as an occasional voice of rebuke to former President Donald Trump, whom he publicly rebuked for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Wednesday that he will step down from the Republican leadership.
© Craig Hudson/The Washington Post
McConnell had health problems
Lately, McConnell has been the loudest voice in his party pushing for the United States to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and he has faced sharp criticism from some in his party who are closer to Trump.
He also struggled with health problems after a fall last year, including an incident in which he froze during a news conference at the Capitol.
McConnell had already decided he would not run for party leader again even before he fell and suffered a concussion at a fundraiser last year, according to two people familiar with his decision who spoke on condition of anonymity not to endanger private conversations.
After the holidays, he told a small circle of employees and advisors that he was ready to announce his decision and just wanted to wait for the right time to do so.
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Resignation opens question about successor to Senate chairman
The announcement is likely the start of a nearly year-long scramble to succeed McConnell, who has virtually no relationship with Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee.
That alienation, made worse by Trump's racist attacks on McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, had weakened McConnell's hold on his party somewhat.
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McConnell announced his intention to relinquish his leadership position in an introspective speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday.
He said it had been a difficult time for his family after losing his wife's younger sister and made a rare acknowledgment of his advanced age.
Advanced Age: McConnell turned 82 last week
“When you lose a loved one, especially at a young age, there is a certain amount of introspection that accompanies the grieving process,” McConnell said.
“Perhaps it is God’s way of reminding us of our own path in life and reassessing the impact of the world we will all inevitably leave behind.
I turned 82 last week and the end of my contributions is closer than I would like.”
McConnell recalled starting his congressional career in 1984, at age 42, during the Reagan administration.
“If you had told me 40 years later that I would be standing before you as the longest-serving Senate leader in American history, I honestly would have thought you had lost your mind,” he said.
He indicated that he will complete his term, which runs until 2026.
Influential Republican US Senator Mitch McConnell © AP
Most recently, the Republicans argued about aid to Ukraine
The Kentucky man has spent the last few months arguing with some of his party colleagues over giving billions of dollars to Ukraine, which is resisting a Russian invasion.
The party's more isolationist wing - backed by Trump - opposes the aid, and McConnell has portrayed aid to the U.S. ally as vital, joining nearly two dozen Republicans in voting for it this month.
He said he was leaving the chamber with “complete clarity and peace” about the role he played in promoting his ideals, despite the party not agreeing with him.
“I know the politics within my party at this particular time,” he said.
“I have a lot of mistakes.
Misunderstanding politics is not one of them.
“Yet I am more convinced than ever that America’s global leadership is essential to maintaining the shining city on the hill that Ronald Reagan spoke of.”
Biden on McConnell: “I trusted him”
President Biden, who sat alongside McConnell in the Senate for many years, said he regretted his resignation.
“I trusted him and we have a great relationship,” Biden said.
“We fight like hell.
But he never, ever, ever misrepresented anything.”
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), a longtime ally, hugged him.
McConnell received the most emotional greeting from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.).
McConnell gave her a long hug and then took her hands as the two spoke quietly.
As Collins gave an impromptu speech after McConnell's speech, Sinema sat alone on the GOP side of the room, wiping away tears.
McConnell has vowed to be the "Grim Reaper" if Democrats win back the White House in 2020, but he has drawn the ire of the right for occasionally working with Democrats on shared priorities, including recent votes on a major infrastructure package and funding U.S. allies.
The Supreme Court has moved significantly to the right under Trump.
© Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The appointment of judges on the Supreme Court caused trouble for the Democrats
In previous years, he angered Democrats by blocking President Barack Obama from filling the Supreme Court seat vacated by Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016 and later quickly moving to fill the seat vacated by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020.
That harsh tactic has drawn rebuke from some good-government experts, although McConnell has expressed reverence for the institution of the Senate in other areas — including for maintaining the long-standing filibuster rule that governs the passage of most legislation requires majority decision.
“McConnell has repeatedly demonstrated good judgment regarding Trump's extreme positions,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat.
“I hope his successor will do the same while Trump is still in office.
McConnell's decision also begins the campaign for his successor, who has the difficult task of holding together a conference that includes both moderate abortion rights activists like Collins and staunch Trump supporters like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.).
Possible successors to McConnell support Trump
Leading contenders to replace him include McConnell's top deputy, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) - all of whom supported Trump for re-election .
“I think ... the gift that Mitch has given us is the opportunity to really consider it and have them audition,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).
“He leaves really big shoes to fill,” Thune acknowledged, declining to say whether he will run to replace McConnell.
Another member of the leadership waved his hand when asked whether he might run for the leadership position.
A demonstrator holds up a sign with “Loser” and Donald Trump’s face.
© Gina M Randazzo / picture alliance / Zuma Press Wire / dpa
Presidential election is just around the corner
“This election is still nine months away and there is a much more important election before then.
And that's the election we need to take the presidency, the Senate and the House, and that's what I'm focused on," said Barrasso, the third-highest-ranking Republican in the Senate.
Cornyn said he has made “no secret” about his intention to run.
Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist and longtime McConnell ally, said he believes McConnell will continue to play an active role in the Senate even after he steps down and may want to take the lead on the Appropriations Committee.
“You will see that he will free himself from the responsibilities of leadership,” he said.
McConnell was a big supporter of campaign finance
McConnell's legacy includes a fierce fight against restricting the role of money in politics, as he advocated for allowing corporations and individuals to donate enormous sums to political candidates and causes.
He even sued a member of his conference, the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), over the issue after the senator passed a bipartisan bill limiting campaign finance.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) fought back tears after McConnell's speech.
“There has never been a better leader who has cared more about the integrity of the institution,” she said.
But some welcomed a new chapter without McConnell at the helm.
“I expect that part of the caucus is opposed to his leadership and that a new person will unite them,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who has criticized McConnell over Ukraine and other issues, said he would prefer if he resigned even sooner.
“We as a party have to turn the tide here.”
Jacqueline Alemany, Mariana Alfaro, Jacob Bogage, Paul Kane, Theodoric Meyer and Marianna Sotomayor contributed to this report.
To the authors
Amy B. Wang
is a national politics reporter.
She joined The Washington Post in 2016 after working at the Arizona Republic for seven years.
Liz Goodwin
covers Congress for The Washington Post.
Before joining the Post in 2022, Goodwin covered national politics and was Washington bureau chief for the Boston Globe.
We are currently testing machine translations. This article was automatically translated from English into German.
This article was first published in English on February 29, 2024 at the “Washingtonpost.com” - as part of a cooperation, it is now also available in translation to readers of the IPPEN.MEDIA portals.