McConnell Remains Hospitalized for 6 Weeks as Resignation Demands Intensify Before Aug. 3
Updated
Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 1
McConnell Remains Hospitalized for 6 Weeks as Resignation Demands Intensify Before Aug. 3
3 articles · Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 1
Summary
Six weeks after a fall at his Capitol Hill home, Mitch McConnell still has not been cleared by doctors to return to the Senate or to his home, according to the Capitol physician’s office.
Andy Beshear, Kentucky’s Democratic governor, demanded that the 84-year-old senator prove he can serve or resign, sharpening pressure before an Aug. 3 deadline that could trigger a special election under state law.
Senate Republicans and allies have pushed back, saying colleagues have spoken with McConnell directly and arguing replacing him for only a few remaining months would waste time and money.
McConnell, whose term ends Jan. 3, 2027, has already given up a bid for reelection and a top committee post, but associates say his long record of tenacity makes an early exit unlikely.
The standoff highlights a broader Senate pattern: aging members often miss long stretches for health reasons, while the chamber’s seniority system and tradition of medical privacy discourage resignations.