SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, R-KY.
SENATE MINORITY LEADER
Date of Birth: Feb. 20, 1942.
Education: B.A., University of Louisville; J.D., University of Kentucky.
Career Path: McConnell was stricken with polio at the age of two but was able to avoid permanent disability. After completing his law degree, he worked on Capitol Hill and was deputy assistant attorney general in the Ford Administration. McConnell was elected to the Senate in 1984 and became Senate minority leader in 2006.
Role in Health Care Reform, 1993-1994: McConnell opposed President Clinton’s proposal.
Why He’s a Player Now: As leader of the Senate Republicans, McConnell will try to unify opposition. McConnell is a smart proceduralist and will strongly oppose any plan he thinks increases the role of government.
Quote: “Republicans are overwhelmingly against having a government plan that puts the government between you and your doctor. Interestingly enough, so are a lot of Democrats. You know, we probably will be able to defeat the administration on one of the principle pillars of its health care proposal. And we only have 40 members. So I think if the policy prescription the administration is offering goes in the wrong direction, we can still defeat some of those things and help craft policies that make more sense for the American people.” (FOX News, May 21, 2009)
Read about the other ‘Players‘.
