Republican Mitch McConnell, a shrewd political tactician who tilted the Supreme Court to the right but whose traditional brand of conservatism was overtaken by Donald Trump’s populism, announced he won’t seek reelection to the US Senate in 2026.

Sen. Mitch McConnell has announced he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decadeslong tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce populism of President Donald Trump.

The Kentucky senator is stepping down after a consequential career. Whether Americans benefited from his triumphs, however, is another matter entirely.