On Thursday, February 20, Mitch McConnell announced that his current and seventh term as Senator of Kentucky would be his last. The 83-year-old will not be seeking reelection. The announcement, made on McConnell’s birthday in front of the Senate, comes amid growing concerns from his party and calls from those on the far right for McConnell to step down.
McConnell raised concerns in late 2023 when he seemed to freeze during a press conference, leading many to worry about the Senior Senator’s health. Since then, he has suffered several more freezing episodes and most recently fell while attempting to climb a single-step podium.
Recently, McConnell turned heads when he became one of the only republicans in the Senate to vote against several of President Trump’s cabinet picks, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had previously questioned the legitimacy of the polio vaccine. McConnell suffered from polio as a child and cited his personal experiences as one of the reasons behind his refusal to support RFK Jr. “A record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions does not entitle Mr. Kennedy to lead these important efforts,” he said.
McConnell also voted against the confirmation of Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence and Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, stating, “Desire to be a change agent is not enough. ”
No longer a leader in the Senate, McConnell has struck out in his final term, voting against the demands of the President and often standing as a lone republican voice in opposition to Trump. The President has minced no words in voicing his disappointment in McConnell. “I feel sorry for Mitch,” he said. “He votes against almost everything now. He’s a, you know, very bitter guy.”
Formerly known as one of the most powerful republicans in Congress and a staunch supporter and ally of Trump, McConnell’s decisions to oppose the President’s cabinet picks marks a divergence from what many have come to expect from McConnell. Though his age may undoubtedly be a factor in McConnell’s decision not to seek another term in office, going against the wishes of the President can also be seen as career suicide for republicans, like Liz Cheney, who failed to win her reelection following her public opposition to the MAGA movement.
McConnell’s retirement allows the long-time senator to act on his conscience while in office. Unlike many of his republican colleagues, McConnell will not need to rely on Trump’s favor to ensure job security, which means he can continue to oppose the President’s more risky decisions.
However, McConnell’s retirement allows the next generation of career republicans to vie for his position in Kentucky. While there is a chance a democrat could win McConnell’s seat – the previous Class 2 Senator being democrat Walter Dee Huddleston – the state hasn’t elected a democrat to the Senate since 1992. With a career in the Senate spanning back to the 1980s, McConnell could see a similar successor raised on the MAGA movement lead Kentucky in Congress for the next 40 years. With the party so far removed from where it was when McConnell entered politics, a far-right senator could be even more disastrous for the country than McConnell has been.
