
Sen. Mitch McConnell, a longtime Senate Republican, said Wednesday he would step down as party leader after the November election, acknowledging that his Reaganite views on national security had put him out of step with a party now led by the former president. Donald J. Trump.
“Believe me, I know the politics within my party at this particular moment,” Mr. McConnell, who turned 82 last week, said in a speech on the Senate floor announcing his intentions. “I have many faults. Political misunderstandings are not part of it.”
His decision, reported earlier by the Associated Press, was not a surprise. Mr. McConnell suffered a serious fall last year and had a few episodes where he momentarily froze in front of the media. He has also faced increasing resistance within his ranks due to his desire to provide continued military assistance to Ukraine as well as his strict leadership style. And his toxic relationship with Mr. Trump, whom he blamed for the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol — after orchestrating his acquittal in an impeachment trial for inciting insurrection — has left him deeply at odds. disagreement with the rest of his party. .
Mr. McConnell had said he would serve his full Senate term ending in 2027, but was more opaque about whether he would seek to remain leader after November.
His announcement capped an extraordinary campaign for a congressional leader known for his legislative prowess and knack for obstructing key Democratic agenda items. Mr. McConnell is revered by many Republicans for thwarting efforts to weaken the influence of money in political campaigns, for helping to fill the Supreme Court with conservative justices and for trying — unsuccessfully — to Repeal the Affordable Care Act. Democrats viewed him as a primary enemy for the same reasons, and Mr. McConnell made clear Wednesday that he appreciated that notoriety.
«I still have enough gas in my tank to completely disappoint my critics, and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm to which they are accustomed,» he told the Senate, under the applause.
The remarks follow a White House meeting Tuesday in which he strongly advocated for Congress to pass a foreign aid bill that includes more than $60 billion in aid. Ukraine and urged President Mike Johnson to bring the proposal to the House. Usually reserved during these sessions, Mr. McConnell pushed to speak first on the subject, according to those present, a sign of the seriousness with which he takes the issue.
“I believe more strongly than ever that America’s global leadership is essential to preserving the shining city on a hill that Ronald Reagan spoke of,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.
Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic leader, said he hoped Mr. McConnell’s decision to step down would allow him to push aggressively for aid to Ukraine.
“It is likely that as he heads into retirement, he will work as hard as possible to ensure that the national security bill crosses the finish line through the House and Senate to President Biden’s desk » said Mr. Jeffries. said in an interview.
President Biden, a former Senate colleague who as vice president reached notable legislative deals with Mr. McConnell during the Obama administration, said he was sorry to see him step aside.
“I trusted him and we have a great relationship,” Mr. Biden said. “We fight like hell. But he never, ever, ever misrepresented anything.
Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and majority leader, credited Mr. McConnell with stepping up in a bipartisan manner during some difficult national episodes in recent years. He cited Mr. McConnell’s support for significant pandemic aid, certification of the 2020 presidential election and aid to Ukraine, despite their differences on other issues.
“During my years in the Senate, Mitch McConnell and I rarely saw eye to eye when it came to our policies or policy preferences,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement. “But I am very proud that we both came together over the past several years to move the Senate forward at critical times when our country needed us.”
His departure after the elections will trigger a competition to succeed him. Three prominent Republicans – John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas and John Barrasso of Wyoming – have already indicated they will seek the top leadership position, and it is possible that the far-right faction in Senate presents its own candidate as candidate. GOOD.
Mr. McConnell easily fended off a challenge to his leadership after the 2022 election, but discontent on the right was growing over his push for aid to Ukraine and his initial support for a bipartisan US security proposal. boundaries which quickly collapsed. Some of his fellow far-right Republicans, such as Texas Senator Ted Cruz, had asked him to step down.
“I respect his judgment,” Mr. Cruz said after Mr. McConnell’s announcement. “He had a long and honorable tenure as a Republican leader and he made the personal decision that it was time to move on.”
Other hard-liners on the right were not so charitable. Noting Mr. McConnell’s recent cooperation with Mr. Schumer, the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus wrote derisively on social media: «Our hearts go out to our Senate Democratic colleagues on the retirement of their co- Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (D-Ukraine). No need to wait until November…Senate Republicans should IMMEDIATELY elect a *Republican* Minority Leader.
Representative Matt Gaetz, the far-right Florida Republican who led the campaign to oust Kevin McCarthy from the presidency, gleefully listed him, Mr. McConnell and Ronna McDaniel — who resigned as speaker. chairwoman of the Republican National Committee under pressure from Mr. Trump. – as recent victims that “we now have 86” in a far-right purge.
“Better days are ahead for the Republican Party,” he wrote on social media.
Mr. McConnell became the longest-serving Senate leader in history at the start of this Congress, surpassing Mike Mansfield of Montana and achieving a personal goal.
Although he worked closely with Mr. Trump to place conservative judges on the federal bench and three justices on the Supreme Court, Mr. McConnell broke with Mr. Trump over his refusal to recognize that President Biden had won the 2020 and January elections. The December 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol, which Mr. McConnell blamed on Mr. Trump even though he voted against his conviction during his impeachment trial and against his ban from holding office in the future.
In his remarks Wednesday, Mr. McConnell also said the recent death of a close relative gave him pause for reflection.
“When you lose a loved one, especially at a young age, there is a certain amount of introspection that comes with the grieving process,” he said. “Perhaps this is God’s way of reminding you of your own life’s journey to prioritize the impact of the world we will all inevitably leave behind.”