Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will not run for re-election in 2026 and will instead retire, the longtime senator announced Thursday.
McConnell has served in the Senate for decades, including as Senate majority leader under President Donald Trump’s first administration. McConnell is the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, and he announced his retirement on his 83rd birthday.
“Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell said in prepared remarks to the Senate floor. “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.”
McConnell was first elected in 1984, and he plans to serve out the rest of his term ending in January 2027.
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Sen. Mitch McConnell will retire from the Senate at the end of his current term. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The announcement comes after a series of health scares for McConnell, who has frozen up during statements to the public on multiple occasions.
His office never provided an explanation for the episodes.
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Most recently, McConnell fell while exiting the Senate chamber earlier this month. He also fell during a GOP lunch in December.
McConnell was replaced as Republican leader in the Senate by Sen. John Thune. (Reuters)
McConnell’s announcement comes roughly a year after he ceded his role as Republican leader in the Senate, ultimately to be replaced by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.
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“Senator McConnell’s legacy is one of remarkable service to the Senate, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and our nation,” Thune said Thursda. “Over decades of tireless work, his mastery of Senate procedure, commitment to the institution, and dedication to the rule of law have shaped the course of American governance for generations to come.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.