- Republican Mitch McConnell plans to resign from his leadership position in the US Senate in November.
- He has been a senator in the House chamber for around two decades and is currently the Republican minority leader.
- It is time for a new generation of leadership, said McConnell in Washington.
“One of the most underestimated talents in life is knowing when it is time to move on to the next chapter of life,” said the 82-year-old in the Senate.
McConnell is the longest-serving party leader in U.S. Senate history. He will continue to serve in the Senate even after stepping down from his leadership position.
Legend:
US Republican Mitch McConnell is resigning from his top office at the age of 82.
Keystone/ MARK SCHIEFELBEIN
The Republican recently made headlines with health problems. The Republican was already plagued by health problems last year. McConnell fell during a private dinner at a hotel in Washington. He suffered a concussion and was therefore treated in a hospital. As a result, he had misfires at press conferences. This fueled concerns about his health.
One of the most important political pullers in the USA
McConnell has been in the Senate since 1985 and has been his party’s parliamentary group leader there since 2006 – longer than anyone before him. According to the Chamber of Congress, he has been elected to lead the Republicans nine times since 2006, depending on the outcome of the respective general elections and the parties’ seats in the Senate as majority or minority leader. The arch-conservative politician has long been considered one of the most important masterminds in US politics.
Former US President Donald Trump does not support McConnell and regularly insults him publicly. But the 82-year-old has always ultimately bowed to pressure from the powerful Trump wing of the party.
What will be particularly remembered is that after the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, McConnell denied then-President Barack Obama’s nominee a hearing. At that time, Obama unsuccessfully nominated a moderate candidate, Merrick Garland, to succeed Scalia. Obama’s successor Donald Trump then nominated the conservative Neil Gorsuch in his first days in office, who was confirmed by the Senate. Garland is now US Attorney General.