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title: Mitch McConnell Won’t Seek Re-Election in 2026, Ending Tenure as Republican Power Broker | TIME
description: Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell announced on Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decadeslong tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of President Donald Trump.  
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og:description: Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell announced on Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decadeslong tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of President Donald Trump.  
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* Politics

# Mitch McConnell Won’t Seek Re-Election in 2026, Ending Tenure as Republican Power Broker

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/yIPQyet3.m3u8" -->
## Video: Mitch McConnell Won’t Seek Re-Election in 2026, Ending Tenure as Republican Power Broker

[Watch (HLS stream): Mitch McConnell Won’t Seek Re-Election in 2026, Ending Tenure as Republican Power Broker](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/yIPQyet3.m3u8) (2:51)

![Mitch McConnell Won’t Seek Re-Election in 2026, Ending Tenure as Republican Power Broker](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/yIPQyet3/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2025-02-20. Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell announced on Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decadeslong tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of President Donald Trump._


---

Feb 20, 2025 8:20 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[Mitch McConnell to Step Down as GOP Leader, Ending Historic Tenure](/video/vthd1G7p/)

### Mitch McConnell to Step Down as GOP Leader, Ending Historic Tenure

[Mitch McConnell Condemns Russian Interference in 2016 Election](/video/Xnyw4vz7/)

### Mitch McConnell Condemns Russian Interference in 2016 Election

[Watch Mitch McConnell Speak at the Republican Convention](/video/OQF543bd/)

### Watch Mitch McConnell Speak at the Republican Convention

---


## Transcript

Seven times our fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate every day. In between, I've been humbled by the trust they placed in me to do their business right here. Representing our Commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last. Thanks to Ronald Reagan's determination, the work of strengthening America's hard power was well underway when I arrived in the Senate. But since then, we've allowed that power to atrophy. And today, a dangerous world threatens to outpace the work of rebuilding it. So, lest any of our colleagues still doubt my intentions for the remainder of my term, I have some unfinished business to attend to.

Regardless, regardless of the political storms that may wash over this chamber during the time I have remaining, I assure our colleagues that I will depart with great hope for the endurance. The endurance of the Senate as an institution. There are any number of reasons for pessimism, but the strength of the Senate is not one of them. This chamber is still the haven where the political minority can require debate. It's still the crucible in which jurists are tested for their fidelity to upholding the constitution and lies and laws as they were written. The Senate is still equipped for work of great consequence, and to the disappointment of my critics, I'm still here on the job.

I yield the floor. Mr. president. Senator. North Carolina. Mr. president, I ask unanimous consent that the members and staff and spectators in the gallery be allowed to applaud for a period not to exceed 30s. Is there objection?

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