Mitch McConnell is stepping down after 40 years in office, making him one of the longest-serving senators in the history of the United States. The 83-year-old Kentucky Republican and former Majority Leader has decided not to seek reelection in 2026, bringing an end to his long tenure.
According to a report, he will make a formal statement and read these prepared remarks (that speech started just a few minutes ago):
“Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell will say, according to prepared remarks.
Expressing humility and gratitude, McConnell stated, “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.”
While McConnell’s 40 years in the Senate are impressive, the late Democratic Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia holds the record for the longest-serving senator at 51 years. McConnell began his tenure in 1985 and has had a significant impact during his time in office. Despite the perception that he has been a fixture in the Senate forever, there are still several other senators ahead of him in terms of length of service.
It’s worth noting that McConnell is the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, having led the Senate Republican Conference from November 2006 until January 2025, a period of over 18 years. This distinction often causes confusion with his overall Senate tenure. However, in terms of total years as a senator, he falls short of Byrd and others.
As we’ve discussed, McConnell has not been a strong ally of President Trump and has also been experiencing numerous health issues.
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