Mitch McConnell Announces He Will Not Seek Reelection in 2026

McConnell I ve never ░░░░░░░░ calling too much attention ░░░░░░░░ today s date February ░░░░░░░░ but I figured my ░░░░░░░░ would be as good ░░░░░░░░ day as any to ░░░░░░░░ with our colleagues a ░░░░░░░░ I made last year ░░░░░░░░ my time in the ░░░░░░░░ I ve only really ░░░░░░░░ to two constituencies the ░░░░░░░░ Conference and the people ░░░░░░░░ Kentucky Over the years ░░░░░░░░ first group trusted me ░░░░░░░░ coordinate campaigns to count ░░░░░░░░ to steer committees to ░░░░░░░░ the majority and on ░░░░░░░░ occasions to lead our ░░░░░░░░ Serving as a Republican ░░░░░░░░ was a rare and ░░░░░░░░ rather specific childhood dream ░░░░░░░░ just about a year ░░░░░░░░ I thanked my colleagues ░░░░░░░░ their confidence which allowed ░░░░░░░░ to fulfill it To ░░░░░░░░ distinguished members of this ░░░░░░░░ I ve had the ░░░░░░░░ to lead and I ░░░░░░░░ deeply deeply grateful Today ░░░░░░░░ it s appropriate for ░░░░░░░░ to speak about an ░░░░░░░░ deeper allegiance and even ░░░░░░░░ standing gratitude Seven times ░░░░░░░░ fellow Kentuckians have sent ░░░░░░░░ to the Senate Every ░░░░░░░░ in between I ve ░░░░░░░░ humbled by the trust ░░░░░░░░ placed in me to ░░░░░░░░ their business here Representing ░░░░░░░░ commonwealth has been the ░░░░░░░░ of a lifetime I ░░░░░░░░ not seek this honor ░░░░░░░░ eighth time My current ░░░░░░░░ in the Senate will ░░░░░░░░ my last I ve ░░░░░░░░ a student of history ░░░░░░░░ entire life I can ░░░░░░░░ remember the last time ░░░░░░░░ didn t have a ░░░░░░░░ of biographies or political ░░░░░░░░ on my nightstand And ░░░░░░░░ know well how tempting ░░░░░░░░ can be to read ░░░░░░░░ with a sense of ░░░░░░░░ assuming that somehow notorious ░░░░░░░░ were inevitable that crowning ░░░░░░░░ were predestined and in ░░░░░░░░ case that lives and ░░░░░░░░ followed ordinary paths This ░░░░░░░░ course isn t how ░░░░░░░░ work And I ve ░░░░░░░░ had to look further ░░░░░░░░ my own life to ░░░░░░░░ it.”