Mitch McConnell to end 17-year tenure as top U.S. Senate Republican

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday he will step down from his leadership role, leaving a power vacuum atop the party he has piloted for nearly 17 years, more than any other party leader in the chamber's history.

"I turned 82 last week. The end of my contributions are closer than I prefer," McConnell said on the Senate floor, his voice breaking with emotion. "Father Time remains undefeated. I'm no longer the young man sitting in the back, hoping colleagues remember my name. It's time for the next generation of leadership."