GOP Giant Announces Retirement As Leader
On Wednesday, February 28th, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he will step down as GOP leader in November. Sen. McConnell will continue to serve as a Senator but believes it is time for "the next generation of leadership" to take control of the conference. His announcement marks the end of an era for his leadership. In 2023, he became the longest-serving Senate party leader in history.
Over the last few months, McConnell has found himself at the center of much of the drama surrounding the Republican Conferences and, more importantly, at odds with his fellow party members. In particular, he struggled to send additional US funding to Ukraine, secure a deal to address the crisis at the border, and maintain a working relationship with former President Trump. Despite these contemporary struggles, Sen. McConnell has long been a highly influential figure in Republican politics and Washington.
McConnell cited his reasons for stepping down as being related to a particularly difficult time for his family, with the death of his wife's younger sister and a desire to usher in a new era of leadership for the conference. However, the announcement also comes when McConnell's health issues have been front and center. Over the last year, he has suffered several startling health incidents, such as freezing up during two press conferences and his fall outside a hotel in Washington, DC. McConnell and his aides did not reference his health as a reason for stepping down.
Leader McConnell’s legacy will be captured by his Reagan Republican ideals, his commitment to the State of Kentucky, and his success appointing countless conservative federal judges. During his remarks on the Senate floor he thanked his wife, Elaine Chao for her support throughout his career. A real power in her own right, Secretary Chao, who immigrated to the United States when she was in the third grade, became Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush in 2001 and then Secretary of Transportation in 2017 during the Trump Administration. She ultimately resigned from the Trump administration after January 6th, 2021 Capitol insurrection.
Who will succeed McConnell?
So far, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is the only Senator who has officially announced his candidacy for McConnell's position. In a statement, Cornyn said he believes the Senate is broken and intends to play a major role in fixing it. Sen. Cornyn served as minority and majority whip before Sen. John Thune (R-S.D) assumed the position and is known as one of McConnell's closest collaborators. Sen. Thune, the number two Republican in the Senate, is said to be quietly launching his campaign to succeed Leader McConnell. He is reaching out to his colleagues directly to "discuss the future of the Senate Republican Conference." For Senate Conference Chair John Barrasso (R-Wy), he has yet to make a public announcement, though he indicated that he was interested in discussing potential changes to how the Senate is run. He is also the most conservative on this emerging short list of possible successors.
Although Thune and Cornyn are the most likely heirs to McConnell's position, there is a possibility that other senior conference members are vying for the job. Other names being floated are Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). Although none have made public comments on their intentions to bid for McConnell's position, they will all likely move up through the ranks upon his departure. McConnell said about his potential successor that he "has full confidence in my conference to choose my replacement and lead our country forward."
Political Reactions
During McConnell's speech on the Senate floor, many lawmakers were both surprised and emotional by his news. He was accompanied by many members of his staff, as well as family and friends, in the balconies above. President Joe Biden said he was sad to hear the news that McConnell would be stepping aside; he commented that they have had a productive working relationship. McConnell will remain serving until his term ends in January 2027 and plans to lead his conference through this year's election.
As political commentators, legal scholars, and colleagues of Leader McConnell are reflecting on his legacy as the top Senate Republican, almost all cite influence on judicial appointments as his most enduring legacy. Many cited a milestone of his leadership in 2016 when he blocked President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, then Judge Merrick Garland, from being confirmed by the Senate. This ultimately led to the confirmations of three conservative Supreme Court Justices under President Trump, making him the President to appoint the most Supreme Court Justices in history. Despite controversy at the end of his leadership regarding January 6th matters, aid to US allies in Ukraine and Israel, and distancing himself from President Trump, he will be remembered as a stalwart of conservative ideology. Mitch McConnell will long be recognized as an iconic figure in Washington and conservative history.
