WATCH: Mitch McConnell Announces He’s Stepping Down as Longest Serving Senate Leader

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) took to the Senate floor Wednesday to formally announce his plans to step down as Republican party leader in November. The longest-serving Senate leader in history turned 82 just last week and spoke in the Senate well about joining the U.S. Senate in 1985 at 42.

“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” he said in prepared remarks first reported by the AP. “So I stand before you today, my colleagues. to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”

“I love the Senate,” he said as we wrapped up his emotional speech. “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.”

“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,” he added. “I still have enough gas in the tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm which they have become accustomed.”

A sparsely populated Senate chamber rose in unison to give McConnell a bipartisan standing ovation as he concluded his speech

Watch above via Fox News.