
Jewish Voter Guide
Mitch McConnell
U.S. Senate · KY · Republican
Summary
Mitchell McConnell was born in 1942 and is currently serving as Kentucky’s senior United States Senator and as Senate Minority Leader. Senator McConnell’s seat is up for election in 2026.
Mitch McConnell is the Senate Republican Leader. Elected to that position unanimously by his Republican colleagues first in 2014 and again in 2016 and 2018, he is also the longest-serving Republican U.S. Senate leader in history. Senator McConnell previously served in leadership as the Majority Whip in the 108th and 109th Congresses and as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 1998 and 2000 election cycles. He was first elected the U.S. Senate in 1984 and has been reelected since.
Senator McConnell is currently serving on the Appropriations Committee; the Rules and Administration Committee; and the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee.
Below is Senator McConnell’s voting record and public positions on issues important to the Jewish Community .
Senator McConnell opposed the Iran nuclear deal and supported the move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. Senator McConnell cosponsored legislation objecting the UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which claimed that Israel’s settlements have no legal validity. He opposes the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and cosponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act and the Combating BDS Act of 2017, two bills that aim to fight discriminatory boycotts that target Israel.
Senator McConnell supported the United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act, a legislation that supported full funding of security assistance to Israel as outlined in the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding.
In 2019, Senator McConnell was one of the original cosponsors of the Strengthening America’s Middle East Security Act which, among other things, strengthened Israel’s security and allowed a state or local government to adopt measures to divest its assets from entities that boycott Israel.
Positions
Per-issue alignment with the American Jewish Congress’s positions. Every claim links to its source. No aggregate score or grade.
U.S.–Israel Relationship
Two-state solution
AlignedSupports the Two State Solution
Opposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and supported the two-state solutionUN Security Council Resolution 2334
OpposedOpposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334
Opposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and supported the two-state solutionStrengthening America's Middle East Security Act (2019)
AlignedVoted For the Strengthening America's Middle East Security Act of 2019
Voted For the Strengthening America’s Middle East Security Act of 2019Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA)
OpposedOpposed the Iran Deal
Opposed the Iran nuclear dealU.S. embassy in Jerusalem
AlignedSupported the U.S. Embassy Move to Jerusalem
Supported the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
BDS & Anti-Israel Sentiment
Anti-BDS measures
AlignedOpposes BDS
Cosponsored the Combating BDS Act of 2017Combating BDS Act of 2017
AlignedSupported the Combating BDS Act of 2017
Cosponsored the Combating BDS Act of 2017
Sources
- Opposed the Iran nuclear deal https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2015/8/iran-nuclear-deal-concedes-too-much-secures-too-little
- Voted For the Strengthening America’s Middle East Security Act of 2019 https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00016
- Supported the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdEw2lNZihk
- Opposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and supported the two-state solution https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-resolution/6/cosponsors
- Cosponsored the Combating BDS Act of 2017 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/170/cosponsors
A note on methodology. This guide is published as an educational reference. The American Jewish Congress does not endorse candidates and does not publish aggregate scores. If you spot a position that needs an update or a better source, please reach the office.
