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◆ THE IDEOLOGY ATLAS
Photo of Mitch McConnell

Mitch McConnell

U.S. Senator (Republican) from Kentucky

Official U.S. Congress photo (public domain)

Position estimated from: Senate leadership: business conservatism, strong support for Ukraine and NATO.

How much do you agree with McConnell? →Open the interactive profile

Political compass placement

Map dimensionScore (0–100)PositionReading
Economic
Collective / planned ↔ Market
79toward market
Social
Progressive ↔ Traditional
70toward traditional
Authority
Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian
35near the center
National identity
Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist
60near the center
Foreign policy
Non-intervention ↔ Intervention
86strongly toward intervention
All nine underlying dimensions
DimensionScoreReading
Economic ownership
Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership
85toward private ownership
Civil liberties
Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions
45near the center
National identity
Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist
60near the center
Social and cultural values
Progressive ↔ Traditionalist
76toward traditionalist
Political governance
Democratic ↔ Autocratic
25toward democratic
Equality and hierarchy
Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical
68toward hierarchical
Economic management
Free market ↔ State planning
30toward free market
Military intervention
Non-intervention ↔ Intervention
86strongly toward intervention
Religion and government
Secular state ↔ Religious authority
57near the center

These positions are estimates on the Atlas’s nine-dimension scale, produced by running the available evidence through the same questions and scoring used for test-takers. They are interpretations for comparison, not objective measurements. How scores are made.

Key positions

StatementPositionBasis
The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively.Strongly disagreesestimated
Opposition parties should be free to compete in elections.Strongly agreesestimated
Central economic planning is preferable to decentralized market decisions.Strongly disagreesestimated
A country should be willing to use force to defend its allies.Strongly agreesfrom their record
Abortion should be illegal in most or all cases.Strongly agreesfrom their record
A national religious authority should have the power to veto legislation.Strongly disagreesestimated
The government should limit how much money groups can spend on political advertising.Strongly disagreesfrom their record
National borders should become less important over time.Strongly disagreesestimated
Cutting taxes is generally better for the economy than increasing public spending.Strongly agreesfrom their record
Courts should be able to temporarily take guns from people judged dangerous, before any crime is committed.Disagreesfrom their record

Recorded votes used

VoteHow they votedCounts toward
S. 9 (cloture), Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act
Senate roll 100 (2025)
YeaTransgender women should be able to compete in women’s sports.
S. 6 (cloture), Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
Senate roll 11 (2025)
YeaAbortion should be illegal in most or all cases.
H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Senate roll 372 (2025)
YeaCutting taxes is generally better for the economy than increasing public spending.
H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Senate roll 372 (2025)
YeaWelfare benefits should be kept limited so that people have strong incentives to work.
H.R. 4, Rescissions Act
Senate roll 411 (2025)
YeaWealthy countries should give more aid to poorer countries.
H.J.Res. 88 (overturn California zero-emission-vehicle waiver)
Senate roll 277 (2025)
YeaThe government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost.
H.J.Res. 87
Senate roll 279 (2025)
YeaThe government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost.
H.J.Res. 89
Senate roll 281 (2025)
YeaThe government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost.
H.J.Res. 88 (overturn California zero-emission-vehicle waiver)
Senate roll 277 (2025)
YeaEnvironmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth.
H.J.Res. 87
Senate roll 279 (2025)
YeaEnvironmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth.
H.J.Res. 89
Senate roll 281 (2025)
YeaEnvironmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth.
H.J.Res. 35 (overturn EPA methane-emissions fee rule)
Senate roll 97 (2025)
YeaEnvironmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth.
S.J.Res. 28 (overturn CFPB rule on large payment apps)
Senate roll 106 (2025)
YeaRegulations on business should be minimized whenever possible.
S.J.Res. 18 (overturn CFPB overdraft-fee rule)
Senate roll 153 (2025)
YeaRegulations on business should be minimized whenever possible.
S.J.Res. 37 (end the emergency behind tariffs on Canada)
Senate roll 160 (2025)
YeaTariffs can be justified to protect domestic industries.
S.J.Res. 37 (end the emergency behind tariffs on Canada)
Senate roll 160 (2025)
YeaTrade policy should prioritize consumer choice over domestic industrial protection.

Votes from the official House Clerk and Senate roll-call records. Shown for reference: this profile’s position is estimated from the sources below, not from these votes.

Closest ideologies

Neoconservatism94% similar positionNational Liberalism83% similar positionModerate Conservatism82% similar positionTraditional Conservatism82% similar positionConservative Liberalism81% similar position

Similar and contrasting figures

Nikki Haley97% similar · US politiciansGeorge H. W. Bush95% similar · US politiciansRonald Reagan94% similar · US politiciansGeorge W. Bush93% similar · US politiciansMarco Rubio92% similar · US politiciansPeter KropotkinContrasting: 44% similarMikhail BakuninContrasting: 45% similarKarl MarxContrasting: 45% similar

Sources

Profile last reviewed October 11, 2026.