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Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is demanding that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) provide evidence of his ability to continue serving in office, or resign immediately from his position.
It’s been about a month and a half since McConnell last made a public appearance, following his hospitalization due to what his office says was a fall in his home. McConnell’s health and absence from the Senate have prompted scrutiny and speculation from the public, with many citing his past health problems — including his “freezing” for several seconds after being asked a question by reporters in July 2023.
In a letter sent to McConnell on Monday, Beshear requested that the lawmaker provide his constituents with another update on his health, to demonstrate that he was indeed on a path to recovery and could serve out the remainder of his term. Beshear wants that update to be different from the written updates previously produced by McConnell’s office.
The governor expressed skepticism over whether McConnell would personally read his letter.
“I am addressing this letter to Senator McConnell under the assumption that he is capable of reading and responding verbally, and not incapacitated by means of consciousness or cognition,” Beshear wrote. “If the Senator is unable to respond for either of those or other conditions, consider this letter a demand for his Senate staff to be honest and transparent with the people of Kentucky.”
“I understand anyone’s desire for privacy,” Beshear added, “but when you run for office and serve as one of a state’s two U.S. senators, you willingly abdicate much of your personal privacy.”
Beshear called for McConnell “to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky,” and to show “proof” of his ability to serve. Failing that, McConnell should resign, Beshear wrote.
“All of this speculation and even this letter could have been avoided with a minimal amount of transparency,” Beshear said in his letter to McConnell. “Kentuckians are just asking you to be honest.”
Should McConnell determine that he must resign from office, it would result in a prompt special election to fill his position for the remainder of his time in the Senate — through January 2027. That timeframe may seem short, but if such an election happened in late August or early September, it would allow constituents to have two senators (rather than just one) represent them for the next several months.
Few options exist for Beshear to compel McConnell to leave office if he is incapable of serving. Per the U.S. Constitution, senators can only be removed from their positions if they are expelled by a two-thirds vote of the entire Senate. Neither state political leaders, nor their constituents, can recall a senator from office before their term expires.
Recognizing those limitations, Beshear sent another letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), requesting that, should McConnell’s staff reveal that the senator cannot serve out the remainder of his term, the governor “will insist that you, as the Majority Leader of the Senate, fully investigate his condition, report to the American people, and begin the process” of having the Senate remove McConnell “if warranted.”
Beshear’s letter came hours after an update from McConnell’s office indicated that his recovery will likely continue for an unspecified amount of time.
“Since his discharge from hospital care, [McConnell] has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls,” his office claimed, including in their message photos of the senator sitting up in bed and smiling. To date since his hospitalization, however, there has been no audio or video evidence of McConnell being able to speak or showing he is even cognitively aware of his situation.
Notably, while McConnell’s absence has lasted several weeks, the United States does not guarantee a single day of paid medical leave for its workers.
The question of McConnell’s health also comes as the Trump administration tries to defend a Medicaid rule change in federal court this week. The White House altered the rules of what it means to be “medically frail,” creating much more stringent work requirements on people seeking Medicaid assistance, including those suffering through debilitating circumstances (including cancer). Several state attorneys general are suing the administration over the rule change.
Were McConnell among the 3 in 10 residents in his state who receive the benefit (instead of the health insurance he gets as a sitting U.S. senator), his absence from work would not qualify him to receive Medicaid assistance under the Trump administration’s new rule, as he has not provided any verifiable evidence about his condition, aside from a few press releases.
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