Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is set to step down as the Senate GOP’s leader in November, reported the AP Wednesday, ending a historic run as a party leader in the upper chamber.

The powerful Republican has suffered health scares in recent months and has been out of step with former President Donald Trump, his party’s presumptive nominee, on a variety of issues — including a recent bipartisan border security and foreign aid bill. Trump has repeatedly attacked McConnell in recent years, including launching a personal attack, that many viewed as racist, against McConnell’s wife former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” McConnell said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. “So I stand before you today … to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”

“As I have been thinking about when I would deliver some news to the Senate, I always imagined a moment when I had total clarity and peace about the sunset of my work. A moment when I am certain I have helped preserve the ideals I so strongly believe. It arrived today,” added the prepared remarks from McConnell.

The Republican leader, 82, first arrived in the U.S. Senate in 1985 and has served as the party’s leader since 2006, having won nine consecutive elections to the post — making him the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. Hardright critics, like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) have urged McConnell to step down following the failure of the landmark border security, which Cruz dubbed “spectacularly stupid.”

“I love the Senate. It has been my life. There may be more distinguished members of this body throughout our history, but I doubt there are any with more admiration for it,” McConnell’s remarks added, concluding:

Father Time remains undefeated. I am no longer the young man sitting in the back, hoping colleagues would remember my name. It is time for the next generation of leadership.

McConnell remains the lone holdout of top GOP Senate leaders who have yet to endorse Trump as Sen. John Thune (R-SD), the number two Republican, endorsed Trump this week and is widely expected to run to succeed McConnell.

This is a developing story and has been updated.

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