Mitch McConnell

McConnell was born in Tuscambia, Alabama in 1942. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Louisville in 1964 and his J.D. from the University of Kentucky Law School, Lexington in 1967.[11][4] McConnell worked as a law clerk for Sen. Marlow Cook (R) from 1968 to 1970, as eputy Assistant United States Attorney for Legislative Affairs, and as Acting Assistant Attorney General. McConnell served as the judge-executive of Jefferson County from 1979 to 1985.[4]

Mitch McConnell did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Mitch McConnell did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

McConnell's campaign website stated the following:

Defending Conservatism

After Justice Antonin Scalia died during a presidential election, McConnell made the consequential decision to let the American people decide who they wanted to appoint the next Supreme Court justice. Accordingly, the Senate confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch’s nomination following President Trump’s election. Last fall, McConnell also led Senate Republicans through the shameful intimidation tactics of the far-left and their mainstream media allies to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

“Mitch McConnell has saved the Constitution” – Hugh Hewitt

Under McConnell’s leadership, the United States Senate has fundamentally transformed the federal judiciary by confirming pro-Constitution judges at a clip typically reserved for the first Saturday in May. Additionally, McConnell prioritized the confirmation of a record 30 circuit courts judges, including three Kentuckians in President Trump’s first two years. He also led the confirmations of 53 district court judges, three of whom are Kentuckians.

McConnell steered a tax package which helped create an estimated 1.5 million new jobs across the country, along with higher wages, bigger bonuses, and “the hottest job market in half a century.” McConnell’s work on the successful Republican push to rewrite the tax code for the first time in more than 30 years continues to yield tremendous benefits for Kentucky families.

“Arguably the most consequential conservative leader of the century” – Marc Thiessen

Coupled with his historic efforts to reshape the courts and revamp the tax code, McConnell has worked to slash red tape and strengthen our military. Through the “most ambitious regulatory rollback since Reagan,” Congress repealed 16 major Obama regulations, including against coal workers. Further, by prioritizing legislation to reduce regulations on the over 120 community banks and credit unions in Kentucky, McConnell helped small businesses and family farms that rely on these institutions for credit.

McConnell also shepherded the biggest year-over-year increase in defense funding in 15 years, ending President Obama’s dangerous military cuts and providing a pay raise for troops. As Majority Leader, McConnell’s support has led to hundreds of millions of dollars for projects at Fort Knox, Fort Campbell and the Bluegrass Army Depot.

Delivering for the Commonwealth

McConnell has delivered tens of millions of dollars to Kentucky to combat the opioid epidemic and authored legislation enacted into law to help infants born to mothers addicted to opioids. His bill, the CAREER Act, was signed into law to help individuals in recovery find and maintain employment and a stable living situation. McConnell also shepherded the Protecting Moms and Infants Act into law to help stop the heartbreaking effects of babies born into addiction. That bill builds upon his 2015 legislation, which was the first federal law to address prenatal opioid exposure.

Along with his work to repeal regulations against coal miners, McConnell introduced the HELP for Coal Miners Health Care Act, which permanently shored up health care benefits for more than 3,000 retired coal miners in Kentucky. Through his Preventing Maternal Death Act to address the spike in maternal mortality, McConnell also led authorization of federal resources to establish maternal mortality review committees.

A champion for the Commonwealth’s agricultural community, McConnell put himself on the Farm Bill Conference Committee to fight for his monumental hemp initiative. Because of McConnell’s bill, hemp cultivation is now legal after a decades-long federal ban.

“Without him we would not have the program we have today.” – Ryan Quarles, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner.

And while the pro-hemp provision will open new doors, McConnell made sure Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College wasn’t forced to close theirs. When SKCTC nearly lost eligibility for federal student loan and financial aid programs, McConnell secured a provision allowing the school to file an appeal to the Department of Education – which was ultimately granted – so it can stay open. McConnell also secured a provision to protect Berea College from an excise tax imposed on large private college endowments that threatened to reduce the number of scholarships it could offer low-income students in Appalachia.

Among the many other accomplishments on his “list of triumphs” for Kentuckians, McConnell secured legislation to block costly administrative fees for Rough River residents – which could have reached $4,000 per household – following the discovery of Army Corps surveying errors. And when the Army Corps tried to prohibit fishing at dams along the Cumberland River, McConnell secured a bill to stop it. Last fall, McConnell also led the successful reauthorization of his provision to continue protecting your right to fish these waters.

Together with the Army Corps’ dedication of an additional $300,000 for clean-up efforts at Fishtrap Lake at his request, McConnell secured $11 million to combat the invasion of Asian Carp and extended U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s focus into our Western Kentucky lakes.[22]

—Mitch McConnell's campaign website (2020)[23]