Kentucky lawmakers and political insiders shared their reactions to Sen. Mitch McConnell's retirement, calling him a "consequential" leader.

Longtime Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Thursday he won’t seek reelection in 2026, ending his run as one of the most powerful lawmakers in the U.S. McConnell, a Republican first elected in 1984, is the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history. He plans to serve out the remainder of his term until it ends in 2027.

Republican U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, who acquired the moniker "Grim Reaper" as the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, said on Thursday he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending a decades-long career that helped steer American politics decisively to the right.