Mitch McConnell is set to make history on Tuesday by becoming the longest-serving Senate leader after 16 years leading the Republican Senate conference.
Kentucky Republican will surpass the late Senator Mike Mansfield (D-Mont.), who served as the respected leader of the party from 1961 to 1977, when the Senate gavel for the beginning of the 118th Congress at noon.
McConnell, 80, was elected to the Senate in 1984 and became minority leader in 2007. He served as majority leader from 2015 to 2021 when Republicans retained control of the upper chamber.
The well-known GOP leader is expected to give a speech on Tuesday praising Mansfield’s “behind-the-scenes” style as a leader “who prefers to focus on serving his friends rather than ruling them,” according to a quote obtained by Politico. The note is a clear reference to McConnell’s preferred method.
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But McConnell’s leadership style has not been popular with every member of the conference. After the GOP’s disappointing performance in the November 2022 midterm elections, a group of 10 Senate Republicans challenged McConnell by opposing him in the leadership election. McConnell still won handily, but the drama revealed a deep conflict at the conference, which has intensified after Republicans failed to win back the Senate last year.
During his tenure as leader, McConnell won praise in the GOP for blocking many of President Barack Obama’s agendas, including the confirmation of Supreme Court justices. The latter move resulted in the repeal of federal abortion rights, a longtime goal of the conservative movement.
He approached Donald Trump’s presidency transactionally, passing legislation that cut taxes and confirmed a growing number of judges while turning a blind eye to the former president’s turmoil. And when he called out Trump for inciting the January 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol, he protected him from impeachment.
Under President Joe Biden, however, McConnell has shown a willingness to cross the aisle and support bipartisan initiatives, including a $1 trillion infrastructure overhaul, gun safety reform and investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
McConnell will also appear with Biden at an event in Kentucky on Wednesday to deliver key infrastructure remarks — an unusual move in today’s partisan politics. The bipartisan relationship is in stark contrast to the chaos in the House, where Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is still struggling to lock down the votes needed to become Speaker due to a rebellion of conservatives seeking, among other things, a more confrontational approach with the Biden administration.
McConnell has yet to hint at his future in the Senate. Asked in November if breaking Mansfield’s record would make him consider retirement at some point, said: “I’m not going anywhere.”