Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell confirmed his retirement after this term by announcing it on the Senate floor today.
As noted by the Courier-Journal,
McConnell has been one of the most influential political leaders of his era, joining the U.S. Senate in 1984 and serving as the GOP's leader in the chamber from 2007 through 2024 before giving up the position to Sen. John Thune of South Dakota. His time as Senate leader is the longest by a member of any party in history.
McConnell’s health has seemed to deteriorate significantly in recent months, including both “freeze up” moments while speaking, and a fall on some stairs earlier this month.
After the announcement, statements of appreciation (and not) came from around the political world, including here in Kentucky. The speaker of the Kentucky House, David Osborne, called McConnell’s tenure in the Senate “one of the most consequential careers in modern American history.”
So, who’s going to run to replace him?
As this moment has been long anticipated, the list of possible successors was already long, and getting longer by the moment.
Pam Stevenson
The retired Air Force colonel, a Democratic state House representative from Louisville, has already filed to run. Her campaign account at the Federal Elections Commission, “Pamela Stevenson for Kentucky,” was opened at the end of December 2024, with Marita Willis as treasurer.
Andy Barr
The Republican congressman from KY-06 indicated a few weeks ago that he was considering running. Notably, he said that his decision would be made “independent of the decisions others make.”
Barr already has some well-off donors in his corner. He also already has another conservative PAC attacking him for being “woke.” (Uhm – no.)
Daniel Cameron
Pretty much as soon as McConnell was finished speaking, Daniel Cameron announced he was running.
The McConnell protege, who served as Kentucky Attorney General before running for governor against Andy Beshear, currently works at something called the 1792 Exchange as its CEO. The organization bills itself as fighting “woke capitalism.”
Nate Morris
Unlike the others listed above, the CEO of Morris Industries in Lexington is not familiar to most Kentuckians. Yes, according to the C-J, “Morris has never served in public office, but he has been involved in Kentucky politics. POLITICO reported that he toured Israel with Republican Sen. Rand Paul, calling Morris “a door-opener for Paul with big-money GOP donors.”
Everyone else
Obviously, with a seat coming open for the first time in decades, numerous politicos and would-be politicos will think about running, or will be mentioned in lists of possible candidates. James Comer, Thomas Massie, even Damon Thayer – all of these are on one list or another.
On the one hand, it’s many months to the 2026 elections. On the other hand, if you’re going to raise millions of dollars for a campaign (which is what it will take), you’d better start today. Or yesterday.
And finally ...
This website has not been a fan of Mitch McConnell. Known by some as the “person who broke the Senate,” he can be directly blamed for many of the ills facing our nation today, through both his actions and his non-actions.
Nevertheless, as a fellow human being, our wish for him in the months to come is that his health doesn’t remove him prematurely, but that he is able to finish his term and retire in peace.
Oh, and Mitch, one last thing before you go: If there is a chance to stop Trump, will you please take it this time?
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