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.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C. He announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection in 2026. TNS

McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, chose his 83rd birthday to share his decision not to run for another term in Kentucky and to retire when his current term ends.