Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday asked the office of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s, R-Ky., to provide an update on the senator’s health, escalating public pressure for more information as the 84-year-old remains hospitalized more than three weeks after being admitted.
“Over the last several weeks, Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the health and well-being of Sen. McConnell,” Beshear, a Democrat, said in a statement. “As Governor — and a fellow public official who understands the commitment we’ve made to the people we serve — I am requesting the Senator provide an update on his current health status.”
Beshear said continued speculation “is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians,” adding that he hoped McConnell would share information “in a transparent manner, direct from the source.”
McConnell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
If McConnell, considered a master of legislative rules, were to resign, die or be expelled before then, Kentucky’s vacancy process would begin.
Kentucky Republicans rewrote the state’s U.S. Senate vacancy law in 2024, stripping the governor of the power to appoint a temporary senator and requiring a special election instead. The winner of that special election would serve out the remainder of the unexpired term.
But the new law has never been used and could face a court challenge. The uncertainty, legal experts say, centers on whether the legislature can fully remove the governor’s appointment role, given language in Kentucky’s Constitution dealing with vacancies in statewide offices and the U.S. Constitution’s 17th Amendment’s rules for filling U.S. Senate seats.
Republicans hold a narrow, 53 to 47, Senate majority and the absence of a voting member, or even the remote chance of a Democrat filling the post temporarily, could change the power dynamics in Washington.
McConnell, a former longtime Senate majority leader, declined to seek an eighth term following a series of health scares.
McConnell was admitted to a hospital on June 14, according to his office, which has released few details about his condition or the circumstances surrounding his hospitalization.
Asked by CNBC on Tuesday for the latest update, McConnell’s office pointed to a brief statement it issued last week saying the senator “appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital.”
“The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session,” the statement said.
The limited public information has fueled growing questions about McConnell’s health and his ability to serve.
Emergency services audio, first reported by journalist Desiree Townsend and later obtained by other news outlets, indicated responders performed CPR on a person experiencing cardiac arrest at McConnell’s Washington address on the day of his hospitalization. McConnell’s name was not mentioned in the audio, and his office has declined to comment on the recordings.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told CNBC Tuesday that Thune spoke with McConnell on Monday and discussed national security issues and other topics. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., the majority whip, spoke with McConnell for roughly 20 minutes Tuesday, according to his office.
“They caught up about the latest news impacting Senate races, the Graham Platner scandal, and the recent Supreme Court ruling on coordinated spending limits,” spokeswoman Kate Noyes told CNBC in a statement Tuesday. “They 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.”
McConnell “was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate,” Noyes said.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
