Conservatives Celebrate End to Mitch McConnell's Decades-Long Senate Run: 'It's Time for New Blood'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's decision not to seek re-election in 2026 set off celebrations among many conservatives, who cheered the end of an era they saw as long overdue.

"Mitch McConnell, whose birthday is today, will not be running for reelection in 2026. Good," wrote conservative commentator Collin Rugg, adding, "McConnell is 83 years old and has been a Senator in Kentucky since 1985."

Accompanying the post was a montage of McConnell's public falls, including the infamous instances when he froze mid-speech.

"GOOD RIDDANCE, RINO!" one user posted on X.

"The most important question in the Kentucky Senate race: Are we going to elect another Mitch McConnell puppet who will betray President Trump? Or are we going to elect an America First outsider who will break McConnell's control of this seat? It's time to take out the trash," another wrote.

McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in history, announced his retirement on the Senate floor.

"Seven times my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate... Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last," McConnell said.

McConnell's exit closes the book on a 40-year Senate career that reshaped the judiciary and cemented conservative policies, but his fractured relationship with Trump and the GOP ultimately undermined his grip.

"It's time for new blood from the great state of Kentucky," Charlie Kirk, conservative founder of Turning Point USA, said per Fox News.

With McConnell stepping aside, the race to replace him is already in motion. Former State Attorney General Daniel Cameron, once a McConnell protégé, wasted no time launching his campaign, announcing his bid within an hour of the news. Meanwhile, Rep. Andy Barr signaled his own ambitions, vowing to deliver Kentucky "a Senator who will fight for President Trump and the America First Agenda."

McConnell's final term won't end until January 2027.