Mitch McConnell to resign as Senate GOP leader in November

Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell plans to resign from his position as Senate GOP leader this November. 

"One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter," he said Wednesday on the Senate floor. "So I stand before you today ... to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. However, I'll complete my job. My colleagues have given me until we select a new leader in November and they take the helm next January."

McConnell, 82, first became a senator in 1985 and he became Senate Republican Conference Leader in 2007, making him the longest-serving Senate party leader in the history of the United States. He was most recently reelected to the Senate in 2020, and he plans on continuing work as senator during that time.

McConnell has suffered from health concerns over the past year, but his aides said his resignation is unrelated to his health. The Kentucky senator suffered a concussion in a fall last March and he appeared to freeze twice over the summer during press conferences. The incidents sparked calls for him to resign.

He acknowledged his age in his prepared remarks. 

"Father Time remains undefeated. I am no longer the young man sitting in the back, hoping colleagues would remember my name. It is time for the next generation of leadership," McConnell said.

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.