Twists and turns in the Mitch McConnell saga
By 
Well this is interesting . . . just a day after reports got leaked that Mitch McConnell was negotiating an endorsement of Donald Trump in a bid to flip the Senate to GOP control — thereby making it possible for him to recapture his position as Senate Majority leader — McConnell announced today that he’s stepping down as Senate Minority Leader in November:
Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Wednesday that he will step down as Republican leader in the Senate in November.
McConnell, 82, revealed his plans in an address to the Senate, where he currently serves as minority leader.
McConnell, who is the longest-serving Senate caucus leader in history, plans to keep his seat in the chamber, which he took in 1985. His current term ends in January 2027.
“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter, so I stand before you today, Mr. President and my colleagues, to say this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate,” McConnell said.
He noted “this has been a particularly difficult time for my family,” including his wife, former Cabinet secretary Elaine Chao.
“We tragically lost Elaine’s younger sister Angela, just a few weeks ago,” McConnell said, referring to the apparent drowning death of Foremost Group CEO Angela Chao in a pond on a Texas ranch.
“When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there’s a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process,” he said.
Some of you who are better at the politics can probably do a better job of explaining what’s actually going on here.