Mitch McConnell, a Republican, is the incumbent senior senator from Kentucky. His current term is over this year an he is not running for re-election.
McConnell is 84 years old and has been hospitalized for almost a month. There has been little information released regarding his condition, his current state of competency and when/whether he will return to the senate, or whether he will recover at all.
This is far from a one-time situation for McConnell. From Nicole Silverio’s article for The Daily Caller, via thelibertydaily.com:
McConnell was hospitalized on June 14 after paramedics found him unconscious inside his Washington, D.C., residence and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for a “cardiac arrest.” He was treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) from Feb. 2 to Feb. 10 after he suffered from flu-like symptoms. Staffers were frequently seen assisting McConnell while walking around Capitol Hill.
The former majority leader suffered several falls and experienced two on-camera freezing episodes in July 2023.
Andy Beshear, a Democrat, is the incumbent Governor of Kentucky. He is asking (demanding?) that Senator McConnell’s condition be made known, so that he can determine his options. Beshear’s has written a letter of request, which includes these words:
“Over the last several weeks, Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the current status of your health and wellbeing, and ability to hold office in the United States Senate. As Governor, I request that you fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status of your heath. As public officeholders, we have a commitment to our constituents to do our best to represent them and to always be transparent. I believe this requires clear communication about one’s ability to serve.”
FYI: If Senator McConnell is unable to continue in his position, Governor Beshear would have 30 days to call for a special election to replace him.
Is Governor Beshear seizing on an politically opportune situation to replace McConnell – presumably with a Democrat alternative – and make his replacement the incumbent before November’s election? That may well be the way it works out.
But given Mitch McConnell’s situation, Beshear is also making a reasonable request. And it should be honored.
The people of Kentucky have a right to know what condition their senator is in, and whether he is capable of continuing in that role. End of story.
