Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced Wednesday that he will step down from his position as the leader of the Senate Republicans after the November elections, marking the end of a record tenure in the position.

For many conservatives who have loathed McConnell’s willingness to deliver Republican votes for Democratic bills, McConnell’s announcement is a welcome development that presents an opportunity for a more ideologically conservative Republican to lead the conference. But despite his willingness to work with Democrats on legislative issues, the legacy McConnell leaves is a complex one that cannot be reduced to the accusation that he is a liberal who was elected as a Republican.