Mitch McConnell, an American politician and former attorney, has been serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky since 1985. Since 2007, Mitch McConnell has been the Senate leader of the Republican Party, and he currently serves as the minority leader since 2021. He previously held the position of minority leader from 2007 to 2015 and served as the majority leader from 2015 to 2021.
Bio/Wiki
Age-81years
Height- 1.75 m
Weight-70kg
Born- 20 February 1942
Birthplace- Sheffield, Alabama, United States
Full name- Addison Mitchell McConnell III
Profession-Politician
Spouse- Elaine Chao (m. 1993), Sherrill Redmon (m. 1968–1980)
Children- Elly McConnell, Porter McConnell, Claire McConnell
Nationality- American
Party: Republican Party
Family
Born on February 20, 1942, Addison Mitchell McConnell III’s parents were Julia Odene “Dean” (née Shockley; 1919–1993) and Addison Mitchell “A.M.” McConnell II (1917–1990). He was born in Sheffield, Alabama, but grew up in the nearby town of Athens, Alabama. In Athens, his family had a connection to the McConnell Funeral Home, which was owned by his grandfather, Robert Hayes McConnell Sr., and his great uncle, Addison Mitchell McConnell.
His ancestry includes Scots-Irish and English roots, with one of his ancestors having fought on the American side during the Revolutionary War.
Tragically, at the tender age of two in 1944, McConnell suffered a polio attack that paralyzed his upper left leg. He received crucial treatment at the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation, which ultimately saved him from a life-long disability. However, the expenses related to his illness put a significant financial strain on his family, nearly causing them to go broke.
Wife
McConnell, a Southern Baptist, underwent baptism at the age of 8. He was previously married to Sherrill Redmon from 1968 to 1980, and they together had three daughters named Porter, Eleanor (Elly), and Claire. Porter McConnell currently holds the position of campaign director for Take on Wall Street, an advocacy coalition with left-wing leanings. Following her divorce from McConnell, Sherrill Redmon pursued a career as a feminist scholar at Smith College and also became the director of the Sophia Smith Collection.
His second marriage took place in 1993 to Elaine Chao, who served as the Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush and later as the Secretary of Transportation under President Donald Trump.
Career
McConnell’s career in politics began when he served as Deputy United States Assistant Attorney General under President Gerald Ford from 1974 to 1975. He furthered his political trajectory by becoming the Jefferson County Judge/Executive in his home state of Kentucky from 1977 to 1984. In 1984, McConnell was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the second Kentuckian to hold a party leadership position in the Senate.
Over the years, McConnell held various key roles in the Senate, including being the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 1998 and 2000 election cycles. He was elected as the Majority Whip in the 108th Congress and retained the position in 2004. Subsequently, in November 2006, he became the Senate Minority Leader, a post he held until Republicans gained control of the Senate in 2015.
While initially seen as a pragmatic and moderate Republican in his early political career, McConnell eventually embraced conservative political positions. He vehemently opposed stricter campaign finance laws and was instrumental in the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC ruling in 2010, which partially overturned the McCain-Feingold Act.
During the Obama administration, McConnell played a pivotal role in withholding Republican support for several presidential initiatives by utilizing the filibuster extensively and blocking many of President Obama’s judicial nominees, including Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court nomination.
Under McConnell’s leadership during the Trump administration, the Senate Republican majority achieved significant milestones, passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act in 2018, the First Step Act, and the Great American Outdoors Act. Additionally, they confirmed a record number of federal appeals court judges during a president’s first two years. McConnell employed the “nuclear option” to eliminate the 60-vote requirement for ending a filibuster concerning Supreme Court nominations, following a similar move made by his predecessor, Harry Reid, for other presidential nominations. This paved the way for the successful confirmations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Although supportive of many of Trump’s policies, McConnell expressed criticism regarding Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Despite voting to acquit Trump in his second impeachment trial, McConnell publicly held him “practically and morally responsible” for the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
Outside his political career, McConnell is married to Elaine Chao, who formerly served as the Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Labor. His influence and impact were recognized by Time, which listed him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2015, 2019, and 2023.
Achievement
As of January 3, 2023, McConnell achieved a historic milestone, becoming the longest-serving Senate Party Leader in American history. Remarkably, he has been elected to lead the Republican conference an impressive nine times since 2006. Additionally, from 2015 to 2021, McConnell held the influential position of Senate Majority Leader, making him just the second Kentuckian ever to assume this role in the U.S. Senate.
Net Worth 2023
Mitch McConnell’s net worth is estimated to be around $95 million US Dollars. Alongside his net worth, he receives an annual salary of $200,000.
Latest News About Mitch McConnell
During a weekly Republican leadership news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., experienced a sudden interruption while making his opening remarks about an annual defense policy bill. He appeared to freeze and stopped speaking, leaving his colleagues concerned about his well-being. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, a physician and a top McConnell deputy, escorted the 81-year-old McConnell away from the cameras and reporters.
At this moment, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa made a hand gesture that some mistook for the sign of the cross, but her office later clarified that she was motioning for Senate Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota.
A few minutes later, McConnell returned to the news conference alone and reassured everyone that he was fine when asked about his health. He confirmed that he was fully capable of doing his job.
An aide attributed the momentary interruption to McConnell feeling lightheaded, which prompted him to step away for a brief moment. However, when he returned to handle the Q&A session, his responses were sharp, leaving no signs of any significant issues.
Later that day, as McConnell was leaving the Capitol, he mentioned that President Joe Biden had called to check on him, to which McConnell jokingly replied that he got “sandbagged.”
Both a White House official and a spokesperson for Senator McConnell confirmed that he indeed spoke with President Biden over the phone on Wednesday.