At least Mitch McConnell has more self-awareness than Joe Biden. The current Senate Minority Leader announced today that he will be stepping down from Republican Senate leadership this November.

McConnell really should be stepping down now, but given the glacial pace of the Senate these days, November probably is the best we can hope for. He gave a speech on the Senate floor to make his announcement, which was a pretty good speech for a swan song.

Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history who maintained his power in the face of dramatic convulsions in the Republican Party for almost two decades, will step down from that position in November.

McConnell, who turned 82 last week, announced his decision Wednesday in the well of the Senate, a place where he looked in awe from its back benches in 1985 when he arrived and where he grew increasingly comfortable in the front row seat afforded the party leaders.

“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” he said. “So I stand before you today … to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”

McConnell said he plans to serve out his Senate term, which ends in January 2027, “albeit from a different seat in the chamber.”

His voice cracked with emotion as he looked back on his career and said it was time for a new generation of leaders. Dozens of members of his staff lined up behind him on the back wall of the chamber, some wiping away tears, as family and friends looked down from the gallery above. Senators from both parties — most of them taken by surprise by the announcement — trickled into the chamber as he spoke and shook his hand after he finished.

McConnell gave no specific reason for the timing of his decision, which he has been contemplating for months, but he cited the recent death of his wife’s youngest sister as a moment that prompted introspection. “The end of my contributions are closer than I’d prefer,” McConnell said.

“Believe me, I know the politics within my party at this particular moment in time. I have many faults. Misunderstanding politics is not one of them,” McConnell said. “That said, I believe more strongly than ever that America’s global leadership is essential to preserving the shining city on a hill that Ronald Reagan discussed. For as long as I am drawing breath on this earth I will defend American exceptionalism.”

“I love the Senate,” he said. “It has been my life. There may be more distinguished members of this body throughout our history, but I doubt there are any with more admiration for it.”

But, he added, “Father Time remains undefeated. I am no longer the young man sitting in the back, hoping colleagues would remember my name. It is time for the next generation of leadership.”

There would be a time to reminisce, he said, but not today.

“I still have enough gas in the tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm which they have become accustomed.”

For all of the issues that one can have with Senator Mitch McConnell, he deserves the absolute gratitude of the entire Republican party and the conservative movement. Without Mitch McConnell, there would be a Supreme Court justice named Merrick Garland on the court RIGHT NOW – and with 20/20 hindsight, I think we all know just what a disaster that would have been. Without Mitch McConnell, there would not be a nominal “conservative,” or at least “originalist,” majority on the Supreme Court. His willingness to make Democrats play by their own rules – and reminding them that they brought this upon themselves – was truly a great moment. There might not be much else worthy of praise in McConnell’s legislative history, but we can be glad and grateful for what he did do.

However, it has become obvious that McConnell was not at his physical or mental peak any longer, freezing up twice on camera during press gaggles and having to be rescued by colleagues or staff. Given that too many of the positions of leadership in Washington are being held by octogenarians, and that age has now become a central issue of the presidential election, it is for the best that Mitch McConnell announces, of his own volition, that he will be leaving leadership in November.

The real question now becomes, who will be the Republicans’ next leader in the Senate? The left is definitely afraid of what may come.

Out of all of the available options here, Democrats should be crossing their fingers that Thune decides to run for it (and wins). The Houseification of the Senate GOP would be an unbelievable blow to our nation’s ability to govern https://t.co/x05vZbnVws

— Blake Allen (@Blake_Allen13) February 28, 2024

Those with better conservative credentials will definitely be tossing their hats into the race after the next election and the seating of the next Congress.

McConnell won the last GOP leadership race in November of 2022, prevailing over a challenge by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).

It was not immediately clear which GOP lawmakers will run in this year’s leadership race, but Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY), and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) are seen as contenders.

For the record, Thune is 63 years old, Barrasso is 71 years old, and Cornyn is 72 years old. On the other hand, Ted Cruz is only 53 years old, and it would be hilarious to watch the leftist meltdown if Cruz decided to run for GOP Senate leader. Another fantastic option would be Mike Lee (only 52 years old), who was just calling for McConnell to step down from leadership earlier this month. Lee supported Rick Scott’s challenge in 2022. Maybe this time, he will run for the job himself.

We can sincerely thank Mitch McConnell for his time in Senate leadership, while acknowledging that the Republican party can and should do a whole lot better when picking the next leader in the Senate. Winning back the Senate would also help the situation. There’s a lot of work to do in the next seven months.

Featured image: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, cropped, official portrait, public domain