Addison Mitchell McConnell III is a prominent American politician and retired attorney. He has served as a U.S. Senator from Kentucky since 1985, making him the longest-serving senator in the state's history. From 2007 to 2025, he led the Senate Republican Conference, holding positions as both minority and majority leader. Notably, he holds the record for the longest tenure as a Senate party leader in U.S. history (2015-2021).
From 1937, Alben W. Barkley led the Democrats in the Senate.
In 2014, The 60.2% won by McConnell was the lowest voter support for a Kentucky U.S. senator in a primary since 1938.
On February 20, 1942, Addison Mitchell McConnell III was born. He is an American politician and retired attorney who has served as the senior United States Senator from Kentucky since 1985.
In 1944, at the age of two, McConnell's upper left leg was paralyzed by a polio attack while living in Alabama, requiring treatment at the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation.
In 1949, Alben W. Barkley's time as the leader of the Democrats in the senate came to an end.
In 1950, when he was eight years old, McConnell moved with his family from Athens to Augusta, Georgia, where his father was stationed at Fort Gordon while serving in the Army.
In 1956, McConnell's family moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended duPont Manual High School.
In 1963, McConnell attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave the "I Have a Dream" speech.
In 1964, McConnell graduated with honors from the University of Louisville with a B.A. in political science.
In 1964, at the age of 22, McConnell attended civil rights rallies and interned with Senator John Sherman Cooper.
In March 1967, McConnell enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve as a private at Louisville to avoid combat during the Vietnam War. His educational draft deferment was about to expire.
On July 9, 1967, two days after taking the bar exam, McConnell began his training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
On August 15, 1967, McConnell was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army after being diagnosed with optic neuritis and deemed medically unfit for service shortly after arriving at Fort Knox.
In 1967, McConnell graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was president of the Student Bar Association.
From 1968, McConnell worked as chief legislative assistant to Senator Marlow Cook in Washington, D.C.
In 1968, Mitch McConnell married his first wife, Sherrill Redmon.
In 1968, Mitch McConnell was the first Republican to win a statewide election in Kentucky since 1968.
In 1970, McConnell's tenure as chief legislative assistant to Senator Marlow Cook ended.
In 1971, McConnell returned to Louisville, worked on Tom Emberton's unsuccessful campaign for governor, was disqualified from running for state legislature, worked for a law firm, and taught political science at the University of Louisville.
In October 1974, McConnell returned to Washington to fill a position as Deputy Assistant Attorney General under President Ford.
In 1975, McConnell served as acting United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legislative Affairs under President Ford.
In 1977, McConnell was elected the Jefferson County judge/executive, the top political office in Jefferson County, Kentucky, defeating incumbent Democrat Todd Hollenbach III.
In 1980, Mitch McConnell divorced his first wife, Sherrill Redmon.
In 1981, McConnell was re-elected as the Jefferson County judge/executive, defeating Jim "Pop" Malone.
In 1984, McConnell was elected to the U.S. Senate, marking the end of his tenure as Jefferson County judge/executive.
In 1984, Mitch McConnell won the U.S. Senate election against incumbent Walter Dee Huddleston by a narrow margin of 3,437 votes.
In 1985, Mitch McConnell was elected as the senior United States Senator from Kentucky, a position he has held since.
2008, McConnell faced his closest contest since 1990.
In 1990, Mitch McConnell faced former Louisville Mayor Harvey I. Sloane and won by 4.4%.
In 1993, Mitch McConnell married Elaine Chao, who later became Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Transportation.
In 1996, Mitch McConnell defeated Steve Beshear by 12.6%, even as Bill Clinton narrowly carried the state.
From 1997, McConnell chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
On February 12, 1999, McConnell was one of 50 senators who voted to convict and remove Bill Clinton from office during his impeachment trial.
In 2001, McConnell's tenure as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee ended.
In 2002, Mitch McConnell defeated Lois Combs Weinberg by 29.4% after running unopposed in the Republican primary.
In February 2003, Mitch McConnell underwent a triple heart bypass surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
In 2004, McConnell observed how Democratic cooperation with the Bush administration on No Child Left Behind and Medicare Part D helped Bush's reelection, leading him to believe that obstruction and Republican unity were the optimal ways to ensure Republican gains.
In 2006, after Republicans lost control of the Senate, they elected McConnell minority leader.
In 2007, Mitch McConnell began his service as the leader of the Senate Republican Conference, holding the position until 2025.
In 2007, Mitch McConnell supported the Iraq War troop surge in public.
In 2008, Mitch McConnell and his wife received a gift worth about $5 million to about $25 million from her father, James S. C. Chao, after the death of his wife.
In 2008, Mitch McConnell defeated Bruce Lunsford by 6% in what was his closest contest since 1990.
In June 2009, after Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor as associate justice, Mitch McConnell and Jeff Sessions opined that Sotomayor's 17 years as a federal judge would require lengthy review and advocated against Democrats hastening the confirmation process.
In May 2010, after President Obama nominated Elena Kagan to succeed John Paul Stevens, Mitch McConnell expressed concerns about Kagan's independence from the White House. He announced his opposition to Kagan's confirmation, saying she was not forthcoming enough about her views on basic principles of American constitutional law.
In October 2010, McConnell stated that the single most important thing he wanted to achieve was for President Obama to be a one-term president.
In 2010, Congress banned earmarks, a practice McConnell regularly used for Kentucky businesses and institutions. He has been criticized for his approach to healthcare issues.
In 2010, Mitch McConnell led the opposition to stricter campaign finance laws, culminating in the Supreme Court ruling that partially overturned the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold).
In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. FEC, which partially overturned the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold), was a culmination of McConnell's opposition to stricter campaign finance laws.
In 2011, the Republican caucus threatened to force the United States to default on its debt, with McConnell saying he had learned that "it's a hostage that's worth ransoming".
In 2012, a poll found that Mitch McConnell had the lowest home-state approval rating of any sitting senator.
On March 1, 2013, Mitch McConnell was inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution.
In 2013, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid eliminated the filibuster for all presidential nominations except the Supreme Court, during Obama's presidency.
In 2013, the federal government shut down due to Congress's failure to enact legislation to fund it.
During the 2014 election campaign, the practice of posting B-roll footage online for use by PACs or of lampooning the B-roll became known as "McConnelling".
In 2014, Mitch McConnell defeated Alison Lundergan Grimes in the general election, 56.2–40.7%.
In 2014, Mitch McConnell vowed that 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.
In 2014, Republicans gained control of the Senate, and Mitch McConnell became majority leader. He then initiated a "near blockade" of Obama's judicial appointments, leading to fewer confirmations compared to previous administrations.
In 2014, after Republicans took control of the Senate, McConnell became the Senate Majority Leader.
In 2015, Mitch McConnell attended the funeral of Joe Biden's son, Beau Biden. He was the only Republican to attend.
In 2015, Mitch McConnell became the Senate Majority Leader, a position he held until 2021, making him the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history.
In 2015, Time listed McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In 2015, Time listed Mitch McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
On February 13, 2016, following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Mitch McConnell stated 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 of their next Supreme Court justice.
On March 16, 2016, President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. Under Mitch McConnell's direction, Senate Republicans refused to take any action on the nomination, which ultimately expired.
On May 4, 2016, after Rand Paul withdrew from the presidential race, Mitch McConnell endorsed Donald Trump as the presumptive nominee.
In May 2016, Mitch McConnell disagreed with Donald Trump's suggestion that federal judge Gonzalo P. Curiel was biased because of his Mexican heritage, stating that Curiel was born in Indiana and that everyone in America comes from somewhere else.
In July 2016, Mitch McConnell responded to Donald Trump's criticism of the parents of Humayun Khan, a Muslim-American soldier, by stating that all Americans should value the patriotic service of those who defend the country.
In August 2016, Mitch McConnell stated that one of his proudest moments was telling Barack Obama that he would not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.
On October 7, 2016, following the release of the Donald Trump Access Hollywood tape, Mitch McConnell stated that Trump needed to apologize directly to women and girls everywhere and take full responsibility for his comments.
In 2016, another poll showed Mitch McConnell had the lowest home-state approval rating of any sitting senator.
On January 3, 2017, Merrick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court expired with the end of the 114th Congress, due to the Senate's refusal to act under Mitch McConnell's direction.
In January 2017, President Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left after Scalia's death.
On April 7, 2017, Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court was confirmed after Mitch McConnell eliminated the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees.
In April 2017, Senate Republicans led by McConnell eliminated the filibuster for Supreme Court nominations to end debate on the nomination of Neil Gorsuch.
In October 2017, after being blamed by Stephen Bannon and other Trump allies for stalling the Trump administration's legislation, Mitch McConnell cited Neil Gorsuch's confirmation to the Supreme Court as evidence that the Senate supported Trump's agenda.
In 2017, McConnell's reputation as a skilled political strategist was tarnished after Republicans failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) despite consolidated Republican control of government.
In 2017, Mitch McConnell had the highest disapproval rating of any senator, with a 49% disapproval rate.
In 2017, Mitch McConnell was portrayed satirically in South Park's season 21 episode "Doubling Down".
In 2017, as Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell led the passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
In 2017, the record for the number of circuit court judges confirmed during a president's first year was broken.
Starting in the first quarter of 2017, McConnell's approval rating had been underwater since the first quarter of 2017, when it was 44% positive and 47% negative.
In April 2018, Mitch McConnell called the decision not to act on Merrick Garland's Supreme Court nomination "the most consequential decision I've made in my entire public career".
In June 2018, McConnell became the longest-serving Senate Republican leader in U.S. history.
In July 2018, Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to replace Anthony Kennedy as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of creating an "extreme" distortion of Kavanaugh's record during his hearings.
In July 2018, Mitch McConnell stated that funding for the Mexico–United States border wall would likely have to wait until the midterms were over.
On July 18, 2018, with Andy Oldham's Senate confirmation, Senate Republicans broke a record for 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.
In September 2018, Christine Blasey Ford publicly alleged that Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her in 1982. After it was reported that Democrats were investigating a second allegation against Kavanaugh, Mitch McConnell stated that Judge Kavanaugh would be voted on.
In October 2018, Mitch McConnell stated 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.
In December 2018, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously passed an appropriations bill that did not include funding for the border wall, indicating potential approval from both the House and President Trump initially.
On December 22, 2018, the federal government shut down because Congress refused to meet President Trump's demand for $5.7 billion for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
In 2018, as Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell led the passing of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act.
In 2018, the OpenSecrets website ranked Mitch McConnell one of the wealthiest members of the U.S. Senate, with a net worth of more than $25 million.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, McConnell's approval rating was at its worst since 2017, with a 38% positive rating and a 47% negative rating among Kentuckians.
As of January 25, 2019, the federal government remained shut down due to disagreements over funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
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), with McConnell voting to confirm.
In August 2019, McConnell wrote an editorial for The New York Times strongly opposing the elimination of the filibuster on legislation.
In August 2019, Mitch McConnell suffered a fall at his Louisville home, fracturing his shoulder.
In August 2019, poll averages from The Economist/YouGov, Politico/Morning Consult, and Harvard-Harris showed Mitch McConnell with 23% favorable and 48% unfavorable ratings.
In September 2019, the Morning Consult found that Mitch McConnell's approval rating had been underwater since the first quarter of 2017, with his ratings at 36% positive and 50% negative as of the second quarter of 2019.
On November 5, 2019, as the House of Representatives began public hearings on the impeachment of President Trump, Mitch McConnell stated that he was pretty sure how an impeachment trial would likely end and that it would not lead to a removal.
On December 14, 2019, Mitch McConnell met with White House counsel Pat Cipollone and White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland. Later that day, he stated that he would be in total coordination with the White House counsel's office for Trump's impeachment trial and that there was "no chance" the Senate would convict Trump and remove him from office.
On December 17, 2019, Mitch McConnell rejected a request to call four witnesses for Trump's impeachment trial, stating that the Senate's role was to act as judge and jury, not to investigate. He also stated that he was not an impartial juror and that the process was political.
In 2019, Nancy Pelosi criticized Mitch McConnell for withholding votes on measures passed by the Democratic-controlled House, including the For the People Act of 2019, the Equality Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act.
In 2019, Time listed McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In 2019, Time listed Mitch McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
By March 2020, Mitch McConnell had contacted an unknown number of judges, encouraging them to retire before the 2020 election.
On April 22, 2020, Mitch McConnell suggested on the Hugh Hewitt radio show that states should be allowed to declare bankruptcy instead of receiving additional COVID-19 aid, drawing criticism from state and local officials.
On September 10, 2020, Mitch McConnell's pared-down COVID-19 relief bill failed to pass the Senate due to a Democratic filibuster, with Democrats deeming the bill "completely inadequate".
In September 2020, after Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, Mitch McConnell announced that the Senate would vote on Trump's nominated replacement.
In November 2020, Mitch McConnell was elected to his seventh term, defeating Amy McGrath by nearly 20 percentage points.
Following the 2020 election where Joe Biden defeated Trump, Mitch McConnell initially refused to recognize Biden as the winner, avoiding repeating or contradicting Trump's voter fraud claims, but arguing Trump had the right to challenge the results, while celebrating Republican victories in Senate and House races.
In 2020, McConnell criticized Trump's attempts to overturn the presidential election results.
In 2020, 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. The CARES Act was the largest economic stimulus package in U.S. history.
In 2020, Susan Collins edged out Mitch McConnell as the least popular senator with a 52% unfavorable rating from Maine voters compared to 50% for McConnell.
On January 12, 2021, it was reported that Mitch McConnell supported impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, believing it would make it easier for Republicans to purge the party of Trump and rebuild the party.
On February 13, 2021, Mitch McConnell voted to acquit Trump in his impeachment trial, stating that it was unconstitutional to convict a president who was no longer in office, despite earlier reports that he supported impeachment.
On April 10, 2021, Donald Trump publicly attacked Mitch McConnell, calling him a "dumb son of a bitch" and questioning whether McConnell had thanked him for hiring his wife.
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.
In October 2021, Mitch McConnell played a key role in passing a bill that extended the debt ceiling. He convinced 11 Republicans to vote with the Democrats, averting a potential default on United States debts.
In 2021, Mitch McConnell became the Senate Minority Leader again, serving until 2025.
In March 2023, Mitch McConnell was hospitalized for five days after a fall; he was treated for a concussion and a minor rib fracture.
In July 2023, Mitch McConnell fell while disembarking from a plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
On July 26, 2023, Mitch McConnell froze, unspeaking, for around 20 seconds during a press conference, prompting worldwide media reports.
On August 30, 2023, Mitch McConnell again froze during a press conference in Covington, Kentucky.
In 2023, Time listed McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In 2023, Time listed Mitch McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
On February 28, 2024, McConnell announced he would step down as the Senate Republican Conference Leader in January 2025, but would serve the remainder of his Senate term.
On December 10, 2024, Mitch McConnell sustained a fall during a Senate Republican Conference policy luncheon, spraining his wrist and cutting his face.
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.
In late 2024, McConnell wrote an essay on his view of American power and the foreign policy mistakes of former presidents.
In January 2025, Mitch McConnell will step down as the Senate Republican Conference Leader.
On February 20, 2025, which was his 83rd birthday, McConnell announced he would not run for an eighth Senate term in 2026 and would retire from politics due to increasing concerns about his health.
In 2025, Mitch McConnell's tenure as the leader of the Senate Republican Conference concluded.
In 2026, McConnell plans to retire from politics after deciding not to run for an eighth Senate term.
In 2027, Mitch McConnell has announced that he will retire at the end of his term, when he will be 84 years old.
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