Senators honor 'true legend' Mitch McConnell after shock announcement he will step down as GOP leader after nearly two decades at the helm of the Republican Party

Republican senators praised their longtime leader Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell following the shocking announcement that he will soon step down from GOP leadership.

The tributes to McConnell comes amid friction between himself and more conservative members of his GOP conference which has caused internal turmoil and dysfunction on Ukraine aid, support for Trump and other issues.

McConnell, 82, announced Wednesday he would step down from Senate leadership in November, after a historic run serving as the senior senate Republican for close to 18 years. 

Senate Republicans told DailyMail.com they were given no heads up on the announcement Wednesday.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said he was shocked at the news, saying 'Nobody knew it was coming. He runs a pretty tight ship.'

'I don't know what to say, but it sure caught me off guard,' Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told reporters minutes after the announcement. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would not seek a leadership position in November after leading the GOP conference for nearly two decades

Sen. Marco Rubio told DailyMail.com he was shocked by McConnell's announcement

'I just heard about it in my office,' Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said while on his way to the Senate chamber, adding 'Mitch McConnell has an extraordinary record.'

Other senators similarly celebrated the longtime leader.

'I think he's going to be remembered for the Supreme Court judges that he shepherded through the system,' Marshall said of the McConnell's legacy. 

'I think the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act he deserves credit for his efforts with that as well,' he Kansas Republican added.

Sen. Tom Tillis, R-N.C., called McConnell 'a true legend' in a post on X.

'Under his historic leadership, the Senate secured a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, passed historic tax reform, and enacted bipartisan legislation to save our economy from the brink at the start of the pandemic,' Tillis wrote. 

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said: 'We thank leader McConnell for his service. At the end of the year he will be stepping down between now and then we need to keep focus on making certain we take the U.S. Senate and that we have a Republican majority leader.'

Sen. Mike Lee, who has been critical of McConnell's leadership in the past, even celebrated the leader.

'I congratulate Senator McConnell on a record tenure as Leader, and I hope he chooses to spend the remainder of his time fighting to secure America's borders and unifying our conference,' he said in a statement obtained by DailyMail.com.

President Biden made brief remarks on McConnell's announcement at the White House Wednesday. 

'I'm sorry to hear McConnell stepped down,' he told reporters. 

'He and I - I've trusted him and we have a great relationship. We fight like hell. But he has never, never, never misrepresented anything,' the president added. 

'I'm sorry to hear he's stepping down.' 

McConnell was at the White House the day before his announcement with the other 'Big Four' leaders as Congress works to stave off a government shutdown at the end of the week. 

It was also considered to be a last-ditch plea by Biden to get Speaker Mike Johnson to put the sprawling $95 billion foreign aid bill on the floor, which McConnell led and passed in the Senate. 

Senator-elect Mitch McConnell in Washington, D.C., Nov. 26, 1984

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson also celebrated McConnell's long career. 

'Mitch McConnell rose from humble beginnings overcoming polio to become one of the most consequential Senate Leaders in history. He started his Senate career as a legislative aide and ended up in charge of the upper chamber,' Johnson said in a statement.

'No Member of Congress has played a greater role in reshaping the federal judiciary than Mitch. I join my colleagues in saluting his historic contributions to the Republican Party and to the Congress. His legacy will endure for generations.'

Still, some Republicans remained critical of McConnell. The leader has clashed with members of his own party in recent months over handling of Ukraine aid and support for Donald Trump. 

McConnell is last member of the Republican leadership not to have endorsed Donald Trump's 2024 presidential bid.

'We've been a ship without a rudder for quite a bit in the last year and Senator McConnell before his injury had us on track, but ever since his injury he's struggled,' Sen. Tuberville said. 

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who has repeatedly called for McConnell to step down as leader, told DailyMail.com he felt good after hearing the leader's announcement.

'This is this is a good development. I just wonder why wait till November.' 

The Missouri Republican described McConnell as 'bubble-wrapped' and that he doesn't reach out to members or talk much. 

'So yeah we need somebody who actually wants to communicate with members of the conference and actually reflects the views of the conference.' 

As for who will replace the outgoing leader, Hawley floated a couple names. 

'I mean, Rick Scott is a great option. Steve Daines, I think would be great,' he said.

McConnell is last member of the Republican leadership not to have endorsed Donald Trump 's 2024 presidential bid

McConnell will remain leader of the Senate Republican conference until November, according to his statements on the Senate floor.

'One of life's most under appreciated talents is to know when it's time to move on to life's next chapter,' McConnell said.

'So I stand before you today, to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.'