LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There are many unknowns swirling around a powerhouse Republican leader from Kentucky.
U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Wednesday plans to step down from his role as Republican leader in the Senate by the end of November.
Although he plans to take a step back from leadership, McConnell - the longest-serving senator in U.S. history - said he will fulfill his senate term which ends in January 2027.
The senator’s announcement is unrelated to recent concerns about his health, according to his aides. McConnell suffered a concussion from a fall last year and had two public episodes where he spent minutes frozen while speaking.
It’s unclear if McConnell plans to run for re-election in 2026, but his decision to leave his leadership post has many wondering what happens if McConnell leaves the senate before his term ends.
Who would replace McConnell in the Senate?
When asked by reporters on Wednesday about potentially running for McConnell's senate seat in the future, Kentucky’s Democrat Governor Andy Beshear responded with a definitive, "No."
"I promised to serve out my term as governor and I'm gonna do that. As governor, you're not one of 50, you're one of one," he said Wednesday at an event in Louisville. "And what you can do for the people of your state is so important."
Beshear then highlighted the commonwealth's recent economic development and healthcare expansion – adding that he is currently focused on getting more resources allocated to public education.
"This is my home," the governor said. "My kids are happy, I'm gonna stay right where I am."
Even if Beshear wanted the seat, it likely wouldn't matter if McConnell left before the end of his term. Due to a change in state law in 2021, a Republican is guaranteed to take the seat should McConnell retire before his term expires.
Under the new law, Beshear would need to choose an appointee from a list of three names chosen by the state’s executive committee. It also requires those nominees to come from the same political party as the person they are replacing.
Depending on when the vacancy occurs, a special election would follow sometime later.
No matter if McConnell retires or decides not to run in 2026, Beshear just hopes the next senator from Kentucky be someone who can work across the aisle and “cares about the people of Kentucky more than the letter behind their name.”
“We need more people in the United States Senate – and everywhere else – that are willing to say, 'I'm gonna do what's right for the people of my state before I ever fall on Team D or Team R, or Team Red or Team Blue,’” Beshear said.
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