Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Mitch McConnell
How Mitch McConnell built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Addison Mitchell McConnell III is a prominent American politician and attorney currently serving as the senior United States Senator from Kentucky since 1985. He holds the distinction of being Kentucky's longest-serving senator. Notably, McConnell served as the leader of the Senate Republican Conference from 2007 to 2025, holding positions as both minority and majority leader. His tenure as Senate party leader from 2015 to 2021 marks him as the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history.
1938: McConnell's voter support
In 2014, McConnell's 60.2% win was the lowest voter support for a Kentucky U.S. senator in a primary since 1938.
1964: Civil Rights Activism and Internship
In 1964, at the age of 22, Mitch McConnell attended civil rights rallies and interned with Senator John Sherman Cooper, inspiring him to run for the Senate later in life.
1968: First Republican to win statewide election since 1968
In 1968, McConnell was the first Republican to win a statewide election in Kentucky since 1968.
1968: Chief Legislative Assistant
In 1968, Mitch McConnell began working as the chief legislative assistant to Senator Marlow Cook in Washington, D.C., a position he held until 1970.
1970: End of Role as Legislative Assistant
In 1970, Mitch McConnell concluded his role as chief legislative assistant to Senator Marlow Cook.
1971: Return to Louisville and Political Activities
In 1971, Mitch McConnell returned to Louisville, where he worked on Tom Emberton's unsuccessful campaign for governor of Kentucky. He also attempted to run for a seat in the state legislature but was disqualified.
October 1974: Deputy Assistant Attorney General
In October 1974, Mitch McConnell returned to Washington to fill a position as Deputy Assistant Attorney General under President Ford.
1975: Acting United States Assistant Attorney General
In 1975, Mitch McConnell served as acting United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legislative Affairs under President Ford.
1977: Election as Jefferson County Judge/Executive
In 1977, Mitch McConnell was elected the Jefferson County judge/executive, defeating incumbent Democrat Todd Hollenbach III.
1981: Re-election as Jefferson County Judge/Executive
In 1981, Mitch McConnell was re-elected as Jefferson County judge/executive against Jefferson County Commissioner Jim "Pop" Malone.
1984: Elected to the U.S. Senate
In 1984, Mitch McConnell was elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating incumbent Walter Dee Huddleston by a narrow margin of 3,437 votes.
1985: Elected to the Senate
In 1985, Mitch McConnell began his tenure as the senior United States Senator from Kentucky, a position he has held since.
1990: Senate re-election victory
In 1990, Mitch McConnell was re-elected to the Senate, defeating Harvey I. Sloane by 4.4%.
1996: Senate re-election victory
In 1996, Mitch McConnell defeated Steve Beshear by 12.6% in the Senate race.
1997: Chair of NRSC
In 1997, Mitch McConnell became the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), a position he held until 2001.
1997: Founded the James Madison Center for Free Speech
In 1997, Mitch McConnell founded the James Madison Center for Free Speech, a legal-defense organization based in Washington, D.C.
February 12, 1999: Vote on Bill Clinton's Impeachment
On February 12, 1999, Mitch McConnell was one of 50 senators to vote to convict and remove Bill Clinton from office.
2001: End of NRSC Chairmanship
In 2001, Mitch McConnell's tenure as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee concluded.
2002: Senate re-election victory
In 2002, Mitch McConnell was unopposed in the Republican primary. He then defeated Lois Combs Weinberg by 29.4%.
2006: Election as Senate Minority Leader
In 2006, after Republicans lost control of the Senate, they elected Mitch McConnell minority leader.
2007: Leader of the Senate Republican Conference
In 2007, Mitch McConnell became the leader of the Senate Republican Conference, a position he held until 2025. This included time as both minority and majority leader.
2007: Supported the Iraq War troop surge
In 2007, Mitch McConnell publicly supported the Iraq War troop surge.
2008: Senate re-election victory
In 2008, Mitch McConnell defeated Bruce Lunsford by 6% in his closest contest since 1990.
June 2009: McConnell on Sotomayor Nomination
In June 2009, after Barack Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor as associate justice, Mitch McConnell and Jeff Sessions stated Sotomayor's 17 years as a federal judge and over 3,600 judicial opinions would require lengthy review and advocated against Democrats hastening the confirmation process.
May 2010: McConnell Comments on Kagan Nomination
In May 2010, after President Obama nominated Elena Kagan to succeed John Paul Stevens, Mitch McConnell said Americans wanted to ensure Kagan would be independent of White House influence and noted Obama had called Kagan a friend, before announcing his opposition to her confirmation.
2010: Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance
In 2010, Mitch McConnell led opposition to stricter campaign finance laws, culminating in the Supreme Court ruling that partially overturned the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold).
2010: Citizens United v. FEC Decision
In 2010, Mitch McConnell led opposition to stricter campaign finance laws, culminating in the U.S. Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. FEC, which partially overturned the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold).
2014: Senate re-election victory
In 2014, Mitch McConnell faced Matt Bevin in the Republican primary and won with 60.2%. He defeated Alison Lundergan Grimes in the general election, 56.2–40.7%.
2014: McConnell Vows No Debt Default or Shutdown
In 2014, Mitch McConnell vowed Republicans would not force the U.S. to default on its debt or shut down the government when stopgap funding measures were set to expire.
2014: McConnell Becomes Senate Majority Leader and Blocks Judicial Appointments
In 2014, after Republicans gained control of the Senate, Mitch McConnell became majority leader. He used his power to initiate a near blockade of Obama's judicial appointments, leading to a historically low number of confirmed judges during Obama's final two years.
2014: Senate Majority Leader
In 2014, following the Senate elections, Mitch McConnell became the Senate majority leader after Republicans took control of the Senate.
2015: Senate Majority Leader
In 2015, Mitch McConnell became the Senate majority leader, serving until 2021 and becoming the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history.
February 13, 2016: McConnell Refuses to Consider Obama's Supreme Court Nominee
On February 13, 2016, following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Mitch McConnell issued a statement that the Senate would not consider any Supreme Court nominee put forth by President Obama, arguing that the American people should have a voice in the selection.
March 16, 2016: Obama Nominates Merrick Garland
On March 16, 2016, despite McConnell's statement that the Senate would not consider any Supreme Court nominee put forth by President Obama, Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. Senate Republicans, under McConnell's direction, refused to take any action on the nomination.
May 4, 2016: McConnell Endorses Donald Trump
On May 4, 2016, after Rand Paul withdrew from the presidential race, Mitch McConnell endorsed Donald Trump as the presumptive nominee, despite disagreeing with him on many issues.
August 2016: McConnell on Blocking Obama's Supreme Court Nominee
In August 2016, Mitch McConnell stated that one of his proudest moments was when he told Barack Obama that he would not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.
January 3, 2017: Garland's Nomination Expires
On January 3, 2017, Merrick Garland's nomination expired, after Senate Republicans refused to take any action on the nomination.
January 2017: Trump Nominates Gorsuch to Supreme Court
In January 2017, President Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Antonin Scalia's death.
April 7, 2017: Gorsuch Confirmed after Filibuster Eliminated
On April 7, 2017, Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court was confirmed after Mitch McConnell eliminated the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees.
October 2017: McConnell Defends Record Against Allegations of Stalling Trump's Agenda
In October 2017, after Stephen Bannon and other Trump allies blamed McConnell for stalling the Trump administration's legislation, McConnell cited Neil Gorsuch's confirmation to the Supreme Court to demonstrate the Senate's support for Trump's agenda.
2017: Passing of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
In 2017, McConnell led the passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as Senate majority leader.
2017: Record Broken for Circuit Court Judges Confirmed
In 2017, the record for the number of circuit court judges confirmed during a president's first year was broken.
2017: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Passed
In 2017, under Mitch McConnell's leadership, the Senate Republican majority passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
April 2018: McConnell Calls Blocking Garland Nomination Most Consequential Decision
In April 2018, Mitch McConnell called the decision not to act on Merrick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court "the most consequential decision I've made in my entire public career."
June 2018: Longest-Serving Senate Republican Leader
In June 2018, Mitch McConnell became the longest-serving Senate Republican leader in U.S. history.
July 2018: McConnell delays border wall funding
In July 2018, Mitch McConnell stated that funding for the Mexico–United States border wall would likely be delayed until after the midterm elections.
July 2018: Trump Nominates Kavanaugh to Supreme Court
In July 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to replace the retiring Anthony Kennedy as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. McConnell accused Democrats of creating an "extreme" distortion of Kavanaugh's record during his hearings.
July 18, 2018: Senate Republicans Break Appeals Court Confirmation Record
On July 18, 2018, with Andy Oldham's Senate confirmation, Senate Republicans broke a record for the largest number of appeals court judiciary confirmations during a president's first two years; Oldham became the 23rd appeals court judge confirmed in Trump's term.
September 2018: Ford Accuses Kavanaugh of Sexual Assault
In September 2018, Christine Blasey Ford publicly alleged that Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her in 1982. McConnell affirmed that Judge Kavanaugh will be voted on here on the Senate floor.
October 2018: McConnell States Intention on Supreme Court Vacancy in 2020
In October 2018, Mitch McConnell said that if a Supreme Court vacancy were to occur in 2020, he would not repeat his 2016 decision to let the winner of the upcoming presidential election nominate a justice.
December 2018: Senate passes bill without wall funding
In December 2018, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously passed an appropriations bill without funding for the border wall.
December 22, 2018: Government shutdown begins
On December 22, 2018, the federal government shut down due to Congress's refusal to meet President Trump's demand for $5.7 billion in federal funds for a U.S.–Mexico border wall.
2018: Passing of Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act
In 2018, McConnell led the passing of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act as Senate majority leader.
2018: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act Passed
In 2018, the Senate Republican majority under Mitch McConnell's leadership passed the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act.
January 25, 2019: Government shutdown ends
On January 25, 2019, the federal government shutdown ended, which had started due to Congress's refusal to meet President Trump's demand for $5.7 billion in federal funds for a U.S.–Mexico border wall.
May 2019: Confirmation of brother-in-law to PBGC
In May 2019, Mitch McConnell's brother-in-law Gordon Hartogensis was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). McConnell voted to confirm.
November 5, 2019: McConnell Comments on Trump Impeachment
On November 5, 2019, as the House of Representatives began public hearings on the impeachment of President Trump, Mitch McConnell expressed certainty that an impeachment trial would not lead to Trump's removal from office.
December 14, 2019: McConnell Announces Coordination with White House on Impeachment Trial
On December 14, 2019, after meeting with White House counsel Pat Cipollone and legislative affairs director Eric Ueland, Mitch McConnell announced he would be in total coordination with the White House counsel's office and Trump's representatives for the impeachment trial, stating there was "no chance" of the Senate convicting and removing Trump.
December 17, 2019: McConnell Rejects Witnesses for Trump Impeachment Trial
On December 17, 2019, Mitch McConnell rejected a request to call four witnesses for Trump's impeachment trial, arguing the Senate's role was to judge, not investigate. He also stated he was not an impartial juror, calling the trial a political process.
2019: Criticism for withholding votes
In 2019, Nancy Pelosi criticized Mitch McConnell for withholding votes on measures passed by the Democratic-controlled House during his time as Senate majority leader, including the For the People Act of 2019, the Equality Act, and the Paycheck Fairness Act.
2019: McConnell Takes Credit for Judicial Vacancies
In a 2019 interview, Mitch McConnell credited himself for the large number of judicial vacancies created during the last two years of Barack Obama's presidency.
March 2020: McConnell Encourages Judges to Retire Before Election
By March 2020, Mitch McConnell had contacted an unknown number of judges, encouraging them to retire before the 2020 election.
April 22, 2020: McConnell suggests states declare bankruptcy instead of receiving COVID-19 aid
On April 22, 2020, McConnell suggested that states should be able to declare bankruptcy instead of receiving additional COVID-19 aid funds. This comment was sharply criticized by state and local officials.
September 10, 2020: COVID-19 relief bill fails in the Senate
On September 10, 2020, Mitch McConnell's pared-down COVID-19 relief bill failed to pass the Senate due to a Democratic filibuster. Democrats considered the bill "completely inadequate."
September 2020: McConnell Announces Vote on Ginsburg Replacement
In September 2020, after Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, Mitch McConnell announced the Senate would vote on Trump's nominated replacement.
November 2020: Elected to seventh term in the Senate
In November 2020, Mitch McConnell was elected to his seventh term in the Senate, defeating Amy McGrath by nearly 20 percentage points.
2020: COVID-19 response packages
In 2020, Mitch McConnell directed Senate Republicans in negotiations for two COVID-19 response packages: the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 and the CARES Act.
January 12, 2021: Report of McConnell Supporting Trump Impeachment
On January 12, 2021, it was reported that Mitch McConnell supported impeaching Trump for inciting the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, believing it would help Republicans purge Trump and rebuild the party.
February 13, 2021: McConnell Votes to Acquit Trump
Despite reports of initially supporting Trump's impeachment, on February 13, 2021, Mitch McConnell voted to acquit Trump, stating it was unconstitutional to convict a president no longer in office.
May 28, 2021: McConnell Votes Against January 6th Commission
On May 28, 2021, Mitch McConnell voted against the creation of an independent commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack, after seeking to organize Republican senators to filibuster it.
October 2021: McConnell Helps Pass Debt Ceiling Bill
In October 2021, Mitch McConnell helped pass a bill that extended the debt ceiling by convincing 11 Republicans to vote with the Democrats, preventing the United States from defaulting on its debts.
2021: Senate Minority Leader
In 2021, Mitch McConnell began his second stint as Senate Minority Leader, a position he held until 2025.
February 28, 2024: Announcement to Step Down as Leader
On February 28, 2024, Mitch McConnell announced that he would step down as the Senate Republican Conference Leader in January 2025 but would serve the remainder of his Senate term.
2024: McConnell Steps Down as Senate Republican Leader
In 2024, Mitch McConnell stepped down as Senate Republican leader, months before the 2024 United States elections. John Thune was elected to succeed him after Republicans regained the majority in the 2024 U.S. Senate elections.
2024: Essay on American Power and Foreign Policy
In late 2024, Mitch McConnell wrote an essay discussing his current views on American power and the foreign policy mistakes of former presidents.
January 2025: Stepping Down as Senate Leader
In January 2025, Mitch McConnell will step down as the Senate Republican Conference Leader, a position he has held for many years.
February 20, 2025: Retirement Announcement
On February 20, 2025, Mitch McConnell announced he would not run for an eighth Senate term in 2026 and would retire from politics.
June 2025: Support for Israel in Iran-Israel war and call for military intervention
In June 2025, Mitch McConnell supported Israel in the Iran–Israel War and called for military intervention by the United States against Iran.
2025: End of Senate Republican Conference Leadership
In 2025, Mitch McConnell's tenure as leader of the Senate Republican Conference ended. He served as leader from 2007 to 2025, a historic tenure.
2026: Planned Retirement
In 2026, Mitch McConnell plans to retire from politics after serving in the Senate since 1985.
2027: McConnell Announces Retirement
In 2027, Mitch McConnell has announced he will retire at the end of his term in 2027, when he will be 84 years old.
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