POOL via ABC News
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, announced his retirement Thursday on his 83rd birthday, stating he will not seek reelection in 2026.
First elected in 1985, McConnell has served seven terms as the U.S. senator from Kentucky and has recently dealt with several health issues, including freezing episodes and falls that have resulted in his need to use a wheelchair.
Although he supported much of Donald Trump’s agenda during his first term, McConnell has since become a more vocal critic, voting against cabinet nominees Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Four potential contenders have surfaced for McConnell’s seat: Rep. James Comer, businessman Nate Morris, Rep. Andy Barr, and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who announced his candidacy less than an hour after the news of McConnell’s retirement broke.
