Mitch McConnell not running for eighth Senate term in 2026 as he tells colleagues serving has been ‘honor of a lifetime’

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving party leader in the upper chamber’s history, announced Thursday that he will not seek re-election in 2026.

In a parting floor speech, McConnell (R-Ky.) recounted how his journey from interning for former Sen. John Sherman Cooper (R-Ky.) to leading the Republican conference for 18 years fulfilled “a childhood dream.”