Elly McConnell Bio: Meet Mitch McConnell’s Daughter

Elly McConnell is the daughter of Kentucky’s senior US senator and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his wife Sherill Redmon. Her father is a long-serving United States Republican Senator.

Elly is also a well-respected and renowned American environmentalist in her own right

Mitch is the incumbent Senate Minority Leader who was elected to represent the Kentucky people in 1984, making him one of the longest-serving  United States Senators. Elly is presently an assistant history professor at Frostburg State University.

Elly McConnell’s Exact Date Of Birth Is Unknown

Eleanor “Elly” McConnell was born in Kentucky in 1972. Her relatively quiet existence means her exact date of birth is yet to become public knowledge. She is the first of three daughters born to Sherrill Lynn Redmon and the United States Senator Mitch McConnell.

Details of her educational background are unavailable at the moment, but Elly grew up in Kentucky with two other younger siblings, both girls. According to the experienced environmentalist, her childhood holds many pleasant memories that she hopes every child growing up would have the privilege of having.

Elly McConnell’s Parents Were Married for 12 Years

How Elly McConnell’s parents met in the first instance is not exactly headline news. Reliable sources have confirmed that the pair met during their time together at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, where they dated briefly. They eventually got married in 1968 in a ceremony that had close family members and friends as guests at the occasion.

The marriage began on a good footing and was evidently fruitful with the birth of three daughters. However, 12 years later, in 1980, the couple announced their separation and eventual divorce.  So many theories have been put forward as the reason for the break up of this high profile, society marriage. Still, the most potent and more credible reason was the alleged infidelity and adultery on the part of Sherill Redmon.

It Was Alleged That Her Parents Divorced Because Of Her Mother’s Infidelity

Reports have it that Elly McConnell’s mother, Sherill Redmon, had a sexual romp with another U.S. Senator, Harry Reid, at a society event in early 1980, although Mitch supposedly got to find out a few months later. This report was made all the more legitimate when Reid and Redmon had a brief relationship in 1986 – after her divorce from Mitch.

At the time of the divorce, Elly and her sisters were still very young. She was just eight years old while her sisters, Claire and Porter, were six and four years old, respectively. The Senator had been granted full custody of the three girls, and they grew up under the care and supervision of their father, Mitch.

Sherrill Redmon’s decision to move to Northampton to pursue her career away from Kentucky, coupled with the acrimonious nature of the divorce, meant that her role in the upbringing of her three young daughters was heavily reduced.

Elly McConnell Is The Oldest Of Three Children Born To Her Parents

The marriage between Mitch McConnell and Sherill Lynn Redmon produced three beautiful daughters, namely Eleanor “Elly” McConnell, born 1972, Claire McConnell, born 1976, and Porter McConnell, born 1979. After her parents’ divorce in 1980, her father Mitch remarried in 1993 to Elaine Chao. The 29-year marriage has not produced any children.

Her mother, Sherill, moved on with her career as a feminist director of the Sofia Smith Collection of the Women’s History Archives. She retired from Smith’s College in 2012, and other than her brief dalliance with Senator Reid in 1986, she has not been in a publicly known relationship. This has led to the rather accurate deduction that Elly McConnell has only two living siblings, Claire McConnell and Porter McConnell.

Her Younger Sister, Claire McConnell, Worked as a Teacher

Claire McConnell is the second child of Mitch McConnell and Sherill Redmon. She was born four years after her sister, Elly, in 1976. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College in Studio Art/Painting. She worked as an educationist and was accused of using extreme disciplinary measures in disciplining her students.

At the time, she worked as a teacher at The Hawthorne Valley School, New York, in 2003. She wrote a public apology that reflected her remorse after the incident that caused many parents to withdraw their children from the school. It is unclear whether she is still a teacher, but Claire currently lives in Baltimore with her husband, Richard Jerram, in Baltimore. The couple has no children.

Elly’s Youngest Sister, Porter McConnell, is Director at “Take On Wall Street”

Elly’s youngest sibling was born in 1979, just a year before her parent’s bitter divorce. She is a political activist and the most publicly active of the McConnell daughters primarily because she has built a career on voicing ideas that clearly conflict with her father’s political views.

She graduated from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree before going further to bag a Masters Degree in Public Policy from the University of Michigan. Her career as the director of “Take On Wall Street” has seen her champion social enterprise reforms in Colombia and address the evident misbehavior of financial corporations in the States.

Elly McConnell Is A Conservative Environmentalist

The first impression most people have of Elly McConnell is that of a very reserved personality. Unlike the rest of her family members, she does her best to stay away from public scrutiny if she can help it. However, her passive demeanor should not be misinterpreted as a lack of passion or drive.

She currently serves as an assistant history professor at Frostburg State University. Her main passion, however, is the environment. She loves nature and will do whatever it takes to protect it. She is a strong and vocal advocate for reforestation. Her work as a respected environmentalist has earned her accolades and recommendations from the university where she serves.

Her political engagements are sparse despite her relationship with a public official who has been in active service for nearly 40 years. In contrast to her father’s Republican affiliations, Elly is a registered Democratic. She also seems to share her sisters’ views on their father’s political practices.

Her connection to a quiet, affluent family has meant that Elly grew up in a comfortable financial situation. She lives a life of affluence and comfort with income from her position as a university professor and a renowned environmentalist. Her net worth is an estimated $1 million.

Key Takeaways

1. Elly McConnell, whose full name is Eleanor McConnell, was born in 1972 in Kentucky, USA.
2. She is the eldest daughter of Mitch McConnell, Kentucky’s senior US senator and Senate Majority Leader, and Sherrill Lynn Redmon.
3. Mitch and Sherrill divorced in 1980, and Mitch received custody of all his daughters, including Elly.
4. Elly has two younger sisters named Claire and Porter McConnell.
5. Elly’s stepmother is Elaine Chao, who has served as the secretary of the Department of Labor and Department of Transportation during the presidencies of George W. Bush and Donald Trump.
6. Elly is known for leading a very private life, away from the public eye.
7. Despite her private lifestyle, Elly maintains an Instagram account, although it is set to private.
8. She identifies as a Christian and is of American nationality.
9. Elly stands at a height of 5 feet and 5 inches.
10. Her profession is unknown, but she is said to be an environmentalist, involved in various movements related to environmental protection.
11. Elly’s fame is primarily attributed to her father’s prominent role in American politics.