What Mitch McConnell Did to America
The former Senate GOP leader’s legacy will make America harder to govern for years to come.
Every August, the Saint Jerome Catholic Church in Fancy Farm, Kentucky, hosts a large picnic known for its traditional mutton-and-pork barbecue. Over the years, the event has become a significant political gathering in the state, attracting politicians from both parties. In 2023, however, the annual event was notably absent of one significant figure: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
Despite being in his 42nd and final year as a senator, McConnell had been attending the picnic for the past 30 years. Known for his ruthless political tactics, McConnell's absence from the event was a cause for concern among Democrats, who feared he may be incapacitated or even deceased. McConnell, who was not running for re-election, was later revealed to have suffered a fall and contracted pneumonia, leading to his hospitalization.
Despite his absence, the Republican Party, now under the control of former President Donald Trump, continues to follow McConnell's lead, with McConnell's political decisions influencing key Supreme Court nominations and judicial appointments that will shape America for years to come.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written; read the original for the full account.
