Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday asked Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office to provide an update on the senator’s health, adding to public pressure for more information after the 84-year-old senator remains hospitalized for more than three weeks.
“In recent weeks, Kentuckians have become increasingly concerned about Sen. McConnell’s health and well-being,” Beshear, a Democrat, said in a statement. “As governor, and as a fellow public servant who understands our commitment to the people we serve, I am asking the senators to update us on the current health situation.”
Beshear said it’s “unfair to the senator and it’s not fair to Kentuckians” to continue speculating, adding that he wants McConnell to share information “directly from the source and in a transparent manner.”
Mr. McConnell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
If McConnell, considered the master of legislative rules, resigns, dies or is ousted before then, Kentucky’s vacancy process will begin.
Kentucky Republicans rewrote the state’s Senate vacancy law in 2024 to strip the governor of the power to appoint an interim senator and instead require a special election. The winner of that special election will serve out the remainder of his unexpired term.
However, the new law has never been applied before and could be challenged in court. Legal experts say the uncertainty centers on whether the Legislature can completely eliminate the governor’s appointive role, given the Kentucky Constitution’s language regarding statewide vacancies and the 17th Amendment’s provisions regarding filling U.S. Senate seats.
Republicans hold a narrow 53-47 majority in the Senate, and the power dynamics in Washington could shift even if a voting member is absent or it is extremely unlikely that a Democrat will temporarily hold the position.
McConnell, the former longtime Senate majority leader, declined to seek an eighth term after a series of health scares.
McConnell was hospitalized on June 14, according to his office, but has provided few details about his condition or the circumstances of his hospitalization.
Asked for an update by CNBC on Tuesday, McConnell’s office pointed to a short statement the senator released last week saying he was “grateful for the tremendous support he is receiving as he continues his recovery in the hospital.”
“The senator continues to improve and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate issues while the Senate is out of session,” the statement said.
Limited public information has raised questions about McConnell’s health and ability to serve.
Emergency services audio, first reported by journalist Desiree Townsend and later obtained by other news outlets, showed responders performing CPR on a person who had gone into cardiac arrest during McConnell’s Washington speech on the day of his admission. McConnell’s name is not mentioned in the audio, and his office declined to comment on the recording.
A spokesman for Senate Minority Leader John Thune, R.S., told CNBC on Tuesday that Thune met with McConnell on Monday to discuss national security issues and other topics. Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) spoke with McConnell for about 20 minutes on Tuesday, according to his office.
“They caught up on the latest news impacting the Senate race, the Graham Platner scandal, and the recent Supreme Court decision on coordinated spending limits,” spokeswoman Kate Noyes told CNBC in a statement Tuesday. “The two leaders also discussed the Senate’s July work period, including the need to pass the NDAA and confirm President Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence.”
Mr. McConnell is “fully engaged and eager to return to the Senate,” Mr. Noyes said.
This is developing news. Please check back for the latest information.
