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Amid speculation from the public that a deadline had passed to replace Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, whose health status and ability to return to office are presently unknown, Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Kentucky) has reiterated that no such deadline exists.
McConnell’s office has said that the senator required hospitalization in June for a fall in his home. The senator has made no public appearances since that time, and the lack of transparency regarding his health status has led to public speculation that he faces more serious health concerns than he has let on.
In late July, Beshear sent a letter to McConnell requesting video evidence that he could return to office to serve out the remainder of his term through January. If he couldn’t do so, Beshear insisted, the senator should resign so that a special election for his seat could take place.
The governor called on McConnell “to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky,” and to show “proof” of his ability to serve.
“All of this speculation and even this letter could have been avoided with a minimal amount of transparency,” Beshear added in his letter.
In recent days, some in the state have errantly suggested that a deadline had passed for special elections.
Per state law, special elections regarding vacancies for elected officials can happen if said vacancies occur more than three months before a general election. Since McConnell has yet to respond to Beshear’s letter, some media reports suggested that a deadline for announcing a special election was August 3.
However, the 17th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution — which supersedes state law — stipulates that, when a vacancy occurs in the Senate, governors of the state in question can issue writs of election to replace an individual. The amendment does not provide a timeline for doing so.
In a social media post, Beshear himself said that the presumed August 3 deadline was errant.
“I know there are a lot of folks wondering about the significance of August 3 regarding a potential Senate vacancy,” Beshear wrote on X. “I want everyone to know that this date has no legal impact on my options should there be a vacancy this year.”
McConnell’s declining health has been an issue for the past few years. In the most notable instance, the senator froze for several seconds when asked a question by a reporter on Capitol Hill in July 2023. He has been hospitalized in the past for other fall-related injuries and has a history of heart issues, including undergoing triple bypass surgery in 2003.
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