Mitch McConnell Not Running For Eighth Senate Term In 2026

Senator Mitch McConnell, who holds the record as the longest-serving leader of the Senate, announced that he will not run for re-election in 2026, according to a report by the Associated Press on Thursday.

At 83 years old, McConnell (R-Ky.) will have completed seven terms by the time he steps down in January 2027. He had already decided to relinquish his position as the Republican leader after the 2024 elections.

McConnell, a key figure in shaping the conservative majority of the US Supreme Court, is known for successfully appointing three justices during the first Trump administration, thus shifting the court’s ideological balance. This was achieved after he blocked President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland.

However, McConnell parted ways with President Trump over the latter’s false claims about the 2020 election, which led to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. He also opposed some of Trump’s cabinet nominations at the beginning of Trump’s second term.

McConnell, who is slated to formally announce his retirement in a speech on the Senate floor Thursday, timed the announcement to coincide with his 83rd birthday.

{Matzav.com}