Mitch McConnell is 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
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.
Net Worth
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.
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 of 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.
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.
