Mitch McConnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mitch McConnell
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Official portrait, 2016
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| United States Senator from Kentucky |
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| Assumed office January 3, 1985 Serving with Rand Paul
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| Preceded by | Walter Dee Huddleston | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Judge-Executive of Jefferson County | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office December 1, 1977 – December 21, 1984 |
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| Preceded by | Todd Hollenbach III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Bremer Ehrler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legislative Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Acting
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| In office February 1, 1975 – June 27, 1975 |
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| President | Gerald Ford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Vincent Rakestraw | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michael Uhlmann | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Addison Mitchell McConnell III
February 20, 1942 Sheffield, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Political party | Republican | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses |
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| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residences | Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  |
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| Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Branch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | July 9, 1967 – August 15, 1967 (medical separation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Addison Mitchell McConnell III (born February 20, 1942), known as Mitch McConnell, is an American politician. He has been a United States senator for Kentucky since 1985. This means he has served for a very long time, making him the longest-serving senator in Kentucky's history.
McConnell has held important leadership roles in the Senate. He was the leader of the Senate Republican Conference from 2007 to 2025. During this time, he was the Senate Minority Leader (when his party was not in charge) from 2007 to 2015 and again from 2021 to 2025. He also served as the Senate Majority Leader (when his party was in charge) from 2015 to 2021. This makes him the longest-serving Senate party leader ever in the U.S.
McConnell is known for his conservative political views. Early in his career, he was seen as more moderate. He played a key role in changing campaign finance laws, which led to the Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision. During the Obama administration, he often used the filibuster to block new laws and presidential appointments.
When Donald Trump was president, McConnell led the Senate Republicans to pass important laws like the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. He also helped confirm many judges, including three Supreme Court justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. McConnell criticized Trump's efforts to change the results of the 2020 election and his actions related to the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
In 2015, 2019, and 2023, Time magazine named McConnell one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In February 2024, he announced he would step down as the Senate Republican Leader in January 2025. John Thune was chosen to take his place. McConnell also announced he would not run for re-election in 2026 and plans to retire from politics.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mitch McConnell was born on February 20, 1942, in Sheffield, Alabama. His parents were Julia Odene Shockley and Addison Mitchell McConnell II. He grew up in Athens, Alabama. His family has Scots-Irish and English roots. One of his ancestors fought in the American Revolutionary War.
When he was two years old in 1944, McConnell's left leg was partly paralyzed by polio. He received treatment at the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation. This treatment helped him avoid being disabled for life. He has said his family struggled financially because of the medical costs.
In 1950, his family moved to Augusta, Georgia, where his father was stationed in the Army at Fort Gordon. In 1956, his family moved to Louisville, Kentucky. He attended duPont Manual High School and was elected student council president.
McConnell went to the University of Louisville and earned a bachelor's degree in political science in 1964. He was also president of the Student Council for the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1963, he attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. He also interned with Senator John Sherman Cooper, which inspired him to pursue a career in the Senate.
In 1967, McConnell graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law. He was president of the Student Bar Association there.
Starting His Career
In 1967, McConnell joined the U.S. Army Reserve. This was a time when many young men were drafted for the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged after five weeks due to a medical condition called optic neuritis.
From 1968 to 1970, McConnell worked in Washington, D.C. He was the chief legislative assistant for Senator Marlow Cook. He helped with writing speeches and assisting people from Kentucky.
In 1971, he returned to Louisville. He worked on a campaign for governor and tried to run for a state legislative seat himself. He was not allowed to run because he did not meet the residency rules. He then worked for a law firm and taught political science at the University of Louisville.
In 1974, McConnell went back to Washington. He worked for President Gerald Ford as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General. In 1975, he also served as acting Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs.
In 1977, McConnell was elected as the Jefferson County Judge/Executive, which was the top political job in Jefferson County, Kentucky. He won against the person already in office. He was re-elected in 1981 and held this position until he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1984.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
In his early years as a politician in Kentucky, McConnell was seen as a moderate Republican. Over time, his political views became more conservative.
Key Achievements and Roles
From 1997 to 2001, McConnell led the National Republican Senatorial Committee. This group helps Republicans win elections for the Senate. In 1999, he voted to remove President Bill Clinton from office during his impeachment trial.
He became the Senate Majority Whip in 2003. After Republicans lost control of the Senate in 2006, he was elected Senate Minority Leader. When Republicans gained control again in 2014, McConnell became the Senate Majority Leader. In 2018, he became the longest-serving Republican leader in the Senate's history. He is also the longest-serving U.S. senator from Kentucky.
McConnell is known for being a very smart political planner. However, his reputation faced challenges when Republicans failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in 2017.
Before 2010, McConnell often secured special funding, called "earmarks," for projects in Kentucky. He has been criticized for supporting short-term solutions for Kentucky's healthcare issues while opposing larger national healthcare programs like Obamacare.
Public Opinion and Approval
As a leader, McConnell has often faced criticism from voters who do not support Republicans. He has also had low approval ratings among the general public. In 2012 and 2016, polls showed he had the lowest approval rating of any senator in his home state. In 2017, he had the highest disapproval rating of any senator.
In 2019, a poll showed that his approval rating had been low since 2017. His ratings were 36% positive and 50% negative among Kentuckians. He was much more popular with Republicans than with Democrats or independent voters. By 2020, another senator, Susan Collins, had a slightly lower approval rating than McConnell.
Committee Work
McConnell serves on several important committees in the Senate. These committees help create and review laws. His current committee assignments include:
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
- Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research
- Committee on Appropriations (This committee decides how government money is spent)
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Defense
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
- Committee on Rules and Administration
- Select Committee on Intelligence (He is on this committee because of his leadership role)
Political Views
For many years, McConnell has held conservative political views. He has generally opposed more government rules, stricter gun control laws, and efforts to fight climate change. He has criticized ideas from Democrats like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. He was also criticized for blocking some laws passed by the House of Representatives when he was Senate Majority Leader.
McConnell supports stronger border security, free trade agreements, and lower taxes. As Senate Majority Leader, he helped pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In foreign policy, he has supported actions against countries like Cuba, Iran, and Russia. He also supports Ukraine and Israel. He voted to allow military action against Iraq in 2003 and supported sending more troops there in 2007.
Earlier in his career, in the 1960s and 1970s, McConnell had more moderate views. He supported unions and the civil rights movement.
Personal Life
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Family and Background
Mitch McConnell is a Southern Baptist and was baptized at age 8. He was married to his first wife, Sherrill Redmon, from 1968 to 1980. They have three daughters: Porter, Eleanor (Elly), and Claire. After their divorce, Sherrill Redmon became a scholar focused on women's studies.
In 1993, McConnell married his second wife, Elaine Chao. She has held important government positions. She was Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush and Secretary of Transportation under President Donald Trump.
Health Updates
As a child, McConnell's upper left leg was paralyzed by polio. In 2003, he had heart surgery for blocked arteries.
In recent years, McConnell has experienced several falls. In 2019, he fractured his shoulder after a fall at home. In March 2023, he was hospitalized for a concussion and a minor rib fracture after another fall. He also fell while getting off a plane in July 2023 and again in December 2024.
In July and August 2023, McConnell had moments where he paused and seemed to freeze during press conferences. His staff said he was "fine" and that he was medically cleared to continue his work.
Other Interests
In 1997, McConnell started the James Madison Center for Free Speech. This group works to protect free speech rights. He is also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
In 2018, it was reported that McConnell was one of the wealthiest members of the U.S. Senate. His wealth grew in 2008 when he and his wife received a large gift from her father.
Images for kids
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1985
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2001
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2006
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2009
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2011
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President Ronald Reagan in a meeting with McConnell in the Oval Office, March 1987
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President George H. W. Bush with McConnell and Elaine Chao in February 1991
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Mitch McConnell in 1992
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President George W. Bush shakes hands with McConnell at Bush's first inauguration, January 2001.
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Senator Mitch McConnell in Kentucky on October 30, 2024
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See also
In Spanish: Mitch McConnell para niños
