McConnell won’t seek reelection after 40 years of service

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Thursday said in a speech on the Senate floor that he would not run for another term in office in 2026. His current term ends in early 2027. McConnell is the longest-serving party leader in United States history and has held his Senate seat since 1985. The 83-year-old lawmaker announced his plans to retire from public service on his birthday.

McConnell in November stepped down as the Senate’s GOP leader and Republican legislators appointed Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., to the role. McConnell has fallen on several different occasions during the last year, including outside the Senate Chamber this month and at a GOP luncheon in December.

Who is vying for his seat? Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron launched his campaign for the Senate shortly after McConnell said he would leave office. The 39-year-old is a professing Christian. In 2023, he unsuccessfully ran against incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.

Republican Rep. Andy Barr has said he is interested in running for the position but has not officially declared his candidacy. Meanwhile, Kentucky businessman Nate Morris on Thursday criticized Barr and Cameron for not standing up to McConnell, who has frequently opposed President Donald Trump and his agenda. Morris did not say whether he planned to run for the office himself.

Dig deeper: Read Leo Briceno’s report in The Stew about growing public concern about elderly politicians.