Mitch McConnell (82) to step down as Senate Republican leader

(Patria) - Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Republican leader in the US Senate, announced he is stepping down from his leadership position in November, the BBC reported. The Kentucky politician said that it was "time to move on" in his address to the Senate on Wednesday.
McConnell proved key to advancing conservative priorities and electing Republicans to Capitol Hill, but has clashed with Donald Trump in recent years.

McConnell (82) has suffered several health issues in the past year, although his staff says it has nothing to do with his decision. He "froze" twice while speaking at press conferences last year and suffered a concussion after a fall at a hotel in Washington.

He said he would serve out his term, which expires in January 2027, but would work "from a different place in the chamber," meaning the Senate. "I still have plenty of fuel in the tank to disappoint my critics entirely," he added.

Mitch McConnell proved to be one of the most effective Republican leaders in the Senate, partly because he could alternate between tenacity and willingness to compromise when it suited him.

In his speech, McConnell reflected on his decades in the Senate, his age, and his family. However, he dedicated a significant portion of his speech to the importance of American global leadership, despite the ideological shift his party has undergone under the isolationist and populist rhetoric of former President Donald Trump.

"I know the politics of my party at this particular moment. I have many flaws, but misunderstanding politics is not one of them," he said.

"That said, I believe more strongly than ever that American global leadership is essential to preserving the shining city on a hill that Ronald Reagan spoke of," he added, referring to the Republican president who proactively promoted US alliances at the end of the Cold War.

"Serving Kentucky has been the honor of my life, and leading my Republican colleagues has been the greatest privilege," he said.

"But one of the most underappreciated talents in life is knowing when it is time to move to the next chapter of life," he added.

President Joe Biden told reporters that he had maintained an "excellent relationship" with McConnell, despite often having "hellacious fights," adding that he was "sorry to hear he is stepping down."

It is uncertain who might lead the Republicans in the Senate now, but there are three successors who are commonly mentioned: John Cornyn of Texas, John Barrasso of Wyoming, and McConnell's deputy John Thune of South Dakota.