Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is formally requesting that Sen. Mitch McConnell provide an update on his health amid speculation about the 84-year-old senator’s condition.
McConnell has been hospitalized since June 14 but has not disclosed why. Senate Republicans insist he is conscious and communicating with staff.
Several of McConnell’s colleagues said they spoke with the former Senate Republican leader on Tuesday about a variety of topics.
RELATED STORY | McConnell speaks with Senate leaders amid questions about hospital stay
“They caught up about the latest news affecting Senate races, the Graham Platner scandal and the recent Supreme Court ruling on coordinated spending limits,” a spokesperson for Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso said. She added that McConnell “was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate.”
McConnell has experienced several health issues in recent years. In 2023, he was hospitalized after suffering a concussion and minor rib fracture in a fall.
Months later, the then-Senate minority leader froze mid-sentence while taking questions from reporters on two separate occasions. The attending physician for Congress later said there was no evidence McConnell had suffered a stroke, seizure disorder or movement disorder.
McConnell has served in the Senate since 1985. He was Senate majority leader from 2015 to 2021 and is not seeking reelection.
Beshear called on McConnell to “fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status” of his health.
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If McConnell is unable to finish his term, which ends in January, Beshear’s role in finding a replacement is limited. Forty-five states task governors with selecting temporary replacements until an election can be held. In 2024, the Kentucky Legislature took that authority away from Beshear and future governors.
Kentucky, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin are the only states where the governor does not appoint an interim senator in the case of a vacancy.
Instead, if McConnell were to leave office more than 90 days before the November midterm election, Beshear would call a special election to fill the remainder of McConnell’s term.
