Addison Mitchell McConnell

Republican senior Senator of Kentucky

  • Senator

    Kentucky

    January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2027

202-224-2541

@McConnellPress

mcconnell.senate.gov

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21

Congresses Served

7

Senate Terms

February 20, 1942 (83 years old)

Birthday

  • Has served as Senate Minority Leader since 2021 and previously from 2007 to 2015
  • Served as Senate Majority Leader from 2015 to 2021
  • Longest-serving senator in Kentucky’s history, having been in office since 1985
  • Known for conservative political positions but was considered a pragmatist and moderate Republican early in his career
  • Led opposition to stricter campaign finance laws, notably in the Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court ruling
  • Worked to withhold Republican support for major initiatives during the Obama administration, including blocking many judicial nominees
  • During the Trump administration, played a key role in passing significant legislation and confirming a record number of federal appeals court judges
  • Criticized Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and deemed him “practically and morally responsible” for the January 6 Capitol attack, despite voting to acquit in the impeachment trial
  • Listed by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2015, 2019, and 2023
  • Announced stepping down as Senate Republican Conference Leader in 2024 but will serve out his current Senate term
  • Born in Alabama, grew up in nearby Athens, Alabama, and moved to Louisville, Kentucky, during his youth
  • Overcame polio at a young age
  • Graduated from the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky College of Law
  • Briefly served in the U.S. Army Reserve before being medically discharged
  • Began his political career as a legislative assistant and later served as Deputy United States Assistant Attorney General under President Gerald Ford
  • Elected Jefferson County Judge/Executive before his election to the U.S. Senate
  • Shifted from moderate to conservative positions over his political career
  • Known for his strategic use of the filibuster and for being a skilled political strategist and tactician
  • Has been involved in significant legislative and judicial actions, including the confirmation of three Supreme Court justices during the Trump administration
  • Married to Elaine Chao, who served as Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush and Secretary of Transportation under President Donald Trump