LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Capitol Hill doctor has cleared U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to continue with his normal schedule, a day after a second health scare in just over a month.
In Northern Kentucky Wednesday, McConnell was seen pausing for nearly 30 seconds when asked for his thoughts on running for reelection in 2026. It has raised questions whether the powerful Senate Republican Leader is healthy enough to still lead the GOP and represent Kentucky in Congress.
On Thursday afternoon, the Capitol's attending physician said "occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery."
McConnell has voiced every intention to serve out the remainder of his term, concluding in 2027. But what would happen if he did step down?
WHAS11 looked into Kentucky law with regards to filling U.S. Senate vacancies.
Kentucky's Republican Party would have substantial influence in the process of appointing a temporary replacement, if it came to that.
Here's what state law would require:
- Kentucky's governor would choose from a list of three candidates, submitted by a top committee within the state's Republican Party.
- The governor used to be able to appoint anyone from either party, until A 2021 state law added stipulations.
- The person appointed temporarily fills the role until a special election is called.
Governor Andy Beshear (D-KY) was asked during his Team Kentucky update Thursday whether he'd comply with the law if the opportunity presented itself.
"There is no senate vacancy. Senator McConnell has said he's going to serve out his term, and I believe him, so I'm not going to speculate about something that hasn't happened and isn't going to happen," he said.
WHAS11 asked University of Kentucky political science professor Stephen Voss about the thought process behind the law.
"The argument was that for a Democratic governor to replace an elected Republican with a member of his own party, would subvert the will of the people," Voss explained.
WHAS11 also talked to Dr. Kurt Jefferson, dean of Graduate Education at Spalding University. He's been teaching political science for 36 years.
"The governor would be forced to select somebody from [the Republican] Party. Normally in most states, the governor gets to select irrespective of the governor's party," Jefferson said.
Jefferson said Kentucky is one of seven states with this kind of law, which he confirms applies even if the lawmaker were to pass away prior to finishing his term.
Jefferson added that McConnell's latest incident could bring the issue of term limits back into the spotlight.
We also asked him about the freeze-ups' impact on the governor's race.
"This is something that bedevils both parties, and they need to be thinking about not just longevity, but recognizing that this plays into other constitutional issues," Jefferson said.
WHAS11 also reached out to the Republican Party of Kentucky Thursday, asking about the vacancy law and how it may be applied in the years to come.
A spokesperson for the party said, since there isn't a vacancy right now, it'd be "premature to comment."
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