Mitch McConnell resigns as Senate Republican leader in November

McConnell has recently become the party’s most vocal advocate for U.S. support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and has faced harsh criticism from some in his own council, where he is closer to Trump. There is. He also faced health problems after a fall last year, including trembling during a press conference at the Capitol.

The announcement likely marks the beginning of a nearly year-long race to replace McConnell, who has little connection to Trump, the party’s likely presidential nominee.

McConnell announced his intention to step down from his leadership position Wednesday in a reflective speech on the Senate floor, saying it had been a difficult time for his family following the loss of his wife’s sister.

“There’s a certain kind of introspection that comes with the grieving process, especially if you lose a loved one at a young age,” McConnell says. “Perhaps this is God’s way of reminding you of your own life’s journey in order to reprioritize the impact on the world that we all inevitably leave behind. At 82 years old, the end of my contribution is closer than I thought.”

McConnell talked about starting his career in Congress at the age of 42 in 1984 during the Reagan administration.

“If you had told me that 40 years from now I would be standing before you as the longest-serving Senate Majority Leader.” “I think you’ve lost your mind, frankly, in American history,” he said.

He has indicated that he intends to serve out his term until 2026.

The Kentucky native has spent recent months at war with conference participants over sending billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, which is fending off a Russian invasion. The isolationist wing of Mr. Trump’s party opposes the aid, and Mr. McConnell paints the picture of supporting U.S. allies from an existential perspective, with 20 Republicans voting in favor earlier this month. joined nearby.

He said he would leave the chamber with “complete clarity and peace” about the role his party had played in promoting his ideals, even though they were not aligned with him.

“I know the politics within the party at this particular moment,” he said. “I have a lot of flaws. Misunderstanding politics is not one of them. That being said, I believe that America’s world needs to remain the shining city on a hill that President Ronald Reagan discussed.” Now more than ever, we believe that strong leadership is essential.”

Senators said they were surprised by the announcement. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York shook Mr. McConnell’s hand after the speech, and his longtime ally Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, hugged him. McConnell’s most emotional greeting came from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Ms. McConnell wrapped her in a long hug and held her hand as the two spoke quietly. As Collins gave impromptu remarks after McConnell’s speech, Sinema sat alone on the Republican side of the chamber and wiped away tears.

McConnell has vowed to become a “grim reaper” if Democrats take back the White House in 2020, but he has occasionally spoken out with Democrats on shared priorities, such as major infrastructure projects and recent votes on funding for U.S. allies. By cooperating, he incurred the wrath of the right. . He previously infuriated Democrats by blocking former President Barack Obama from taking the Supreme Court seat vacated by Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016, but quickly followed up with Ruth Bader in 2020. She moved to fill the seat vacated by Justice Ginsburg. This heavy-handed tactic drew public rebuke. While there are some great governance experts, McConnell also praised the Senate’s establishment in other areas, such as maintaining the long-standing filibuster rule, which requires a supermajority to pass most legislation.

“Mr. McConnell has shown correct judgment several times about Mr. Trump’s extreme positions,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “If Trump is still on the scene, I hope that happens regardless of who replaces him.”

McConnell’s decision also leaves McConnell with the difficult task of assembling a conference that spans pro-abortion moderates like Collins and pro-Trump stalwarts like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). We have started a campaign to replace him with Mr.

Potential candidates to replace him include McConnell’s chief of staff, Sen. John Thune (R-Texas), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). All of them support Mr. Trump. For re-election.

“I think the gift that Mitch has given us is a runway to actually get serious about it and get auditions,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R.N.D.).

“He has a really big job left to do,” Thune acknowledged, declining to say whether he would run to replace McConnell.

Another leadership member hesitated when asked if he would ultimately run for leadership.

“We’re nine months away from the election, but there are more important elections coming up in the meantime. And those are the elections we need to win seats for the president, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, and that’s my focus. ” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the third-ranking Senate Republican.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) fought back tears after McConnell’s speech. “There has never been a better leader who cared more about the health of the organization,” she said.

Jacob Bogage, Mariana Alfaro, Marianna Sotomayor and Jackie Almany contributed to this report.